MoSD: Palestinian Children Are Paying the Highest Price of Aggression and Blockade
Ramallah – 20 November – The Ministry of Social Development affirmed that this year’s Universal Children’s Day comes as the impacts of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank continue to leave severe consequences on the lives of Palestinian children, who are living under harsh humanitarian conditions deprived of basic necessities.
The Ministry explained that the aggression has resulted in the killing of more than 18,000 children, in addition to around 4,700 children and women who remain missing under the rubble, and more than 50,000 children who have lost one or both parents, exacerbating the social, psychological, and health needs of affected families.
The Ministry noted that the continued blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and the restrictions on the entry of food and medical supplies have further worsened children's suffering, with rising rates of malnutrition, lack of treatment, and limited access to healthcare, amid the collapse of hospital operations and the depletion of essential medical supplies.
It further indicated that hundreds of schools have been destroyed or damaged due to the aggression, while others have been turned into shelters for displaced families, leading to the disruption of education and depriving thousands of students of their right to safe and continuous learning.
The Ministry also stated that more than 350 children are currently held in Israeli prisons under conditions that lack minimum standards of protection and care, in clear violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and international humanitarian law.
The Ministry highlighted that the exceptional circumstances facing the Palestinian people— including aggression, blockade, displacement, and poverty— have led to a significant increase in cases of violence, neglect, and abuse against children, particularly within families that have lost their sources of income or experienced trauma and loss.
Field directorates across the Ministry continue to record a rise in reports related to psychological violence resulting from shock and persistent fear, physical violence within some affected families due to pressure, and family neglect associated with the absence of parents, displacement, or the loss of a breadwinner.
The Ministry emphasized that it is working to expand protection, counseling, and psychosocial support services, despite field challenges and difficulties in reaching many devastated areas.
It also explained that current conditions have caused an increase in school dropout rates, both in Gaza—due to the destruction of schools and mass displacement—and in the West Bank due to military incursions, closures, and obstacles preventing students from reaching their schools.
Ministry data indicate that dropout rates are influenced by multiple factors, including the loss of homes and family stability, psychological distress, poverty and families' inability to meet educational needs, as well as the engagement of some children in the labor market to support their families. The Ministry warned that the continuation of these conditions may result in an entire generation facing a severe educational gap, calling for the provision of safe educational alternatives and urgent psychological and educational support programs.
The Ministry also warned of a notable increase in child labor over the past two years, particularly in areas where sources of income have been severely affected, forcing many children into unsafe or illegal work to support their families.
The Ministry follows up on the cases of working children through its protection teams, given the serious risks child labor poses to their physical and psychological development, as well as the increased likelihood of exploitation, maltreatment, and school dropout.
For her part, Minister of Social Development Dr. Samah Hamd stated that “the aggression and the blockade have left profound impacts on the reality of childhood in Palestine, whether in terms of human loss, collapse of basic services, rising violence, increased school dropout, or the surge in child labor.”
She added that the Ministry, through its field directorates, continues to monitor the conditions of affected children and works in coordination with local and international partners to provide food and medical assistance, psychosocial support programs, and protection services from violence and exploitation.
The Ministry called on the international community to shoulder its legal and humanitarian responsibilities to stop violations against Palestinian children, lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip, and ensure the sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid, guaranteeing the minimum requirements for a dignified life for children and their families.
The Ministry concluded its statement by reaffirming that protecting Palestinian children is a shared national and international responsibility, and that ending their suffering requires urgent and serious action to end the aggression and address its ongoing consequences.
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Ramallah – The Department of Refugee Affairs of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) presented its Annual Report to the Ministry of Social Development during a meeting held at the Ministry’s headquarters. The meeting formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the two institutions and to enhance mechanisms for responding to the humanitarian and social needs of Palestinian refugee camps. Representing the Ministry of Social Development were Mr. Akram Al-Hafi, Assistant Deputy Minister for Family Care and Protection, and Mr. Ashraf Al-Barghouthi, Assistant Deputy Minister for Administrative Development and Planning. Representing the Department of Refugee Affairs were Mr. Ahmad Khallah, Advisor to the Department, Ms. Azhar Al-Khalili, and Ms. Serena Arrar from the General Directorate of Projects. The delegation conveyed the greetings of Dr. Ahmad Abu Holi, Head of the Department of Refugee Affairs, and the Department’s Deputy Head, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening the longstanding partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and enhancing cooperation among Palestinian national institutions in support of Palestinian refugees and their resilience under the exceptional circumstances facing the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Department’s delegation presented the key findings of its Annual Report, which documents the situation in Palestinian refugee camps, the challenges they face, and the Department’s principal achievements over the past year. The report also highlights the humanitarian and development interventions implemented in refugee camps and Palestinian communities, as well as the partnerships established with national institutions and international donors to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian refugees and improve the quality of services provided to them. The meeting also explored opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between the two institutions, particularly in responding to the needs of displaced families in the northern West Bank and improving coordination in the areas of social protection, social care, and humanitarian relief, with the aim of ensuring a more coordinated and effective national response for affected households. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining close coordination, exchanging expertise and information, and building on the existing partnership between the Ministry of Social Development and the Department of Refugee Affairs. They stressed that strengthening cooperation among national institutions is essential for addressing humanitarian and social challenges and enhancing the resilience of Palestinian refugees while improving the services provided to them.
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Ramallah – The Ministry of Social Development today held a consultative workshop to present and discuss the draft Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Manual under the Social Development Enhancement Project, implemented in partnership with the World Bank. The workshop brought together representatives of the General Union of Persons with Disabilities, the Advisory Board for the Development of Non-Governmental Organizations, and civil society organizations working in the field of human rights. The workshop forms part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen a more efficient and inclusive grievance redress system that enhances service quality and promotes the principles of transparency and accountability. The workshop was opened by Mr. Ashraf Al-Barghouthi, Assistant Deputy Minister for Administrative Development and Planning, who welcomed the participants and emphasized that strengthening the grievance redress system requires effective coordination and collaboration among all relevant stakeholders. He described the system as one of the key instruments for improving service quality and enhancing responsiveness to citizens' needs. He explained that the workshop aims to discuss the Grievance Redress Mechanism Manual and its procedures through a participatory approach to develop practical, confidential, transparent, and effective processes, with particular attention to sensitive complaints, including those related to gender-based violence (GBV), thereby strengthening public confidence in the grievance mechanism and improving its effectiveness. Mr. Mohammad Rashid Khaled, Head of the Complaints Unit at the Ministry of Social Development, presented an overview of the Ministry’s existing grievance redress system, including the procedures for receiving, processing, and resolving complaints. He emphasized the importance of continuously improving these procedures and expanding access channels for all population groups to ensure timely responses, high-quality complaint resolution, strengthened good governance, and improved public service delivery. For her part, Ms. Kifah Rajoub, Environmental and Social Specialist at the World Bank, presented the draft Grievance Redress Mechanism Manual, explaining that the workshop is part of a broader consultative process aimed at gathering feedback from partners and relevant stakeholders before the Manual is finalized. She noted that this process seeks to strengthen complaint intake channels and grievance handling procedures in line with international good practices. Ms. Rajoub also presented the key components of the Social Development Enhancement Project, which aims to build a more resilient social protection system capable of responding to shocks and crises by strengthening social services for poor and marginalized households, enhancing the Social Registry and Case Management System, building the capacities of Ministry staff in the directorates, and developing a flexible emergency response mechanism in collaboration with partners. The workshop further reviewed the core principles of the Grievance Redress Mechanism Manual, with particular emphasis on ensuring that complaint channels are accessible to all groups, especially women, children, persons with disabilities, and older persons, while establishing clear, fair, and transparent grievance handling procedures that reinforce integrity, accountability, and transparency in project implementation. The workshop concluded with an extensive technical discussion among participants representing various institutions and professional backgrounds. Participants reviewed the draft Manual, shared technical observations and recommendations for its improvement, and emphasized the importance of maintaining close coordination and consultation among all partners to finalize a comprehensive Grievance Redress Mechanism Manual that strengthens the effectiveness and credibility of the Ministry’s grievance redress system.
