MoSD and UNICEF Discuss Strengthening Humanitarian Response and Social Protection in Gaza
The Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, Samah Hamad, received today a delegation from UNICEF headed by the organization’s Representative in Palestine, Jonathan Veitch, to discuss ways to strengthen joint cooperation in the fields of social protection and support for affected children and families, particularly in the Gaza Strip, in addition to reviewing a number of shared humanitarian and development programs and projects.
Representing the ministry at the meeting were the Minister’s Advisor, Doaa Wadi; the Advisor to the Ministry of State for Relief Affairs, Mahdi Hamdan; the Assistant Undersecretary for Family Care and Protection, Akram Al-Hafi; and the Director General of Childhood Affairs, Mohammad Al-Qarm, alongside several staff members from the ministry’s general administrations and specialists. A number of UNICEF delegation members also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Dr. Hamad emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership with UNICEF, praising the organization’s role in supporting the social protection sector and assisting Palestinian children and families amid the difficult humanitarian conditions, particularly with the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip and the worsening humanitarian and living conditions.
The Minister reviewed the efforts led by the ministry to reorganize the social protection sector through the development of the National Social Protection Network Protocol, in partnership with UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the World Bank. The initiative aims to regulate social assistance resources, unify beneficiary databases, ensure aid and services reach the most vulnerable groups, and prevent duplication in assistance delivery.
The meeting also addressed the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the impact of the war on children, particularly in the areas of education, mental health, social protection, and children with disabilities. The UNICEF delegation affirmed its continued efforts to provide psychological and social support, establish temporary educational spaces for children within the Gaza Strip, and continue delivering educational and medical supplies, clothing, and humanitarian aid.
Both parties also discussed the “The Gaza We Want” initiative, implemented by UNICEF with the participation of thousands of children in Gaza. The initiative aims to listen to children’s aspirations and future needs and involve them in shaping their vision for the future of the Gaza Strip, while also highlighting the importance of strengthening children’s participation and protecting their rights under the current circumstances.
The meeting further discussed the importance of enhancing field coordination within the Gaza Strip and exchanging data and information related to assistance and services provided to families and children, in a way that strengthens integration between governmental institutions and international partners and contributes to improving the humanitarian response and social services provided to citizens.
The meeting witnessed the signing of a joint work plan between the ministry and UNICEF, in addition to the signing of an agreement concerning aid funded by China, which includes winter supplies, clothing, and medical assistance designated for the Gaza Strip.
At the conclusion of the meeting, commemorative shields were exchanged between the two sides, reaffirming the depth of the partnership and cooperation between the ministry and UNICEF, and expressing appreciation for the joint efforts aimed at supporting Palestinian children and families and strengthening their resilience in the face of ongoing humanitarian challenges.
Latest News
On the International Day for the Elimination of Child Marriage, MoSD Affirms: Protecting Girls Begins with Education, Protection, & Family Empowerment
Ramallah – On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, the Ministry of Social Development emphasized that child marriage cannot be addressed in isolation from the broader social protection system, as it is linked to multiple factors, including poverty, school dropout, domestic violence, loss of parental care, displacement, and weakened protection networks. The Ministry explained that its role includes protecting children and girls at risk, providing case management, family interventions, psychosocial support, and referral services, and connecting families with assistance, essential services, and economic empowerment programmes. It also coordinates with relevant authorities when the safety of a child or girl is at risk. The Ministry places the best interests of the child and protection from exploitation and abuse at the heart of its child protection services. The Ministry stressed that preventing early marriage also requires protecting families from poverty and economic shocks, supporting girls' continued access to education, raising awareness of their rights, and strengthening families' ability to cope with pressures without resorting to practices that may expose girls to long-term physical, psychological, and social risks. The issue is particularly concerning in the Gaza Strip, where the Ministry warned that the loss of parental care, displacement, extreme poverty, and the declining capacity of extended families to provide care and protection increase children's vulnerability to various forms of exploitation, including early marriage. In this context, the Ministry continues to work with local and international organizations involved in child and women's protection to strengthen early intervention, referral pathways, alternative care, and psychosocial support, alongside assistance to the most vulnerable families to reduce the risk factors that may contribute to early marriage. The Ministry called for child marriage to be addressed as a child protection and human rights issue requiring coordinated action among families and social, educational, health, and legal institutions. It also called for increased investment in girls' education, protection, and empowerment to safeguard their right to grow, learn, and make decisions about their future freely and safely.
On World Children's Day, MoSD: Palestinian Children Face Harsh Realities of Loss, Displacement, Violence, & Deprivation
Ramallah – On the occasion of World Children's Day, observed annually on 20 November, the Ministry of Social Development emphasized that Palestinian children are facing extremely harsh conditions amid the continuing consequences of the Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip and escalating attacks, displacement, home demolitions, and movement restrictions in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. These conditions have deprived children of their lives, families, shelter, education, care, and safety. According to available United Nations data, at least 21,700 children have been killed in the Gaza Strip, while approximately 45,000 have been injured, including more than 11,000 children who have sustained life-altering injuries. Meanwhile, thousands of families continue to experience repeated displacement and deprivation of essential services. In the West Bank, including Jerusalem, children continue to face attacks, forced displacement of families, and damage to schools, homes, and infrastructure. More than 1,700 children have been displaced since the beginning of 2026 as a result of settler violence, movement restrictions, and demolitions. The Ministry stressed that the consequences of war and occupation extend beyond immediate casualties to include bereavement, family separation, hunger, school dropout, child labour, violence, exploitation, acquired disabilities, and psychological and social distress. These risks require a comprehensive and long-term child protection response. The Ministry explained that child protection is a central pillar of its work, implemented through Child Protection Departments in its directorates. These departments receive reports, assess levels of risk, provide case management and family follow-up, facilitate referrals to specialized services, and intervene in cases of violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Their responsibilities also include protecting children engaged in labour or begging, children who have dropped out of school, and children in conflict with the law, in coordination with relevant government authorities and partner organizations. In the Gaza Strip, children's protection and care needs have intensified significantly, particularly among orphans, children deprived of parental care, separated and unaccompanied children, and those requiring psychosocial support. In cooperation with its partners, the Ministry is working to provide alternative care, social follow-up, sponsorship programmes, psychological support, and food, health, and in-kind assistance, while strengthening and restoring child protection services across the Gaza Strip. The Ministry emphasized that protecting children is inseparable from protecting their families. Accordingly, child protection services form part of a broader social protection system encompassing food, cash, and non-food assistance, health insurance, education, school bags and stationery, psychosocial support, services for persons with disabilities, and family economic empowerment. These interventions aim to reduce the risks associated with poverty, displacement, loss of income, and family instability. The Ministry of Social Development called on the international community, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organizations, and donors to provide sustainable support for the Palestinian child protection system. It urged continued funding for alternative care programmes, orphan sponsorship, psychosocial support, education, nutrition, and rehabilitation, alongside support for Palestinian national institutions capable of reaching children and families and ensuring sustained follow-up. The Ministry concluded by emphasizing that World Children's Day cannot be merely an occasion for celebration while Palestinian children are deprived of their most fundamental rights. It stressed that protecting children begins with safeguarding their right to life and extends to ensuring their rights to family care, shelter, food, education, healthcare, protection, and social support.
