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20261012 160000 UTC
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[00:00:00] to their land.
[00:00:13] but in general, in general,
[00:00:18] 75% of the orphans. What is their role in this have no less than
[00:00:24] their presence in no movements that you are undertaking with
[00:00:45] the Gaza Strip, questions are renewed about
[00:00:48] the future of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian
[00:00:55] its tasks in light of political
[00:00:57] that enhances UNRWA's role
[00:00:58] many pressures and the financial crisis it faces.
[00:01:00] This coincides with the expansion of humanitarian needs and the decline
[00:01:04] in the ability to respond to them. In this context, the former
[00:01:07] Commissioner-General of UNRWA,
[00:01:11] Philippe Lazzarini, warned that
[00:01:14] what is described as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip does not meet
[00:01:17] internationally recognized standards. He pointed out during
[00:01:20] a lecture he delivered to an audience at the Institute of Development Studies
[00:01:24] in his first public
[00:01:26] is the most vulnerable appearance since the end of his term that more
[00:01:31] especially in than 1,400 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed as a result
[00:01:33] of the occupation's military attacks since the ceasefire
[00:01:37] agreement was reached, describing
[00:01:39] if this deterioration what is happening as systematic
[00:01:41] in the financial destruction of our people's lives and a clear challenge
[00:01:43] to international law. These statements bring back to the forefront
[00:01:48] of Development in fundamental questions about the seriousness of the ceasefire and the limits of international
[00:01:52] impact. For example, the Gaza Strip protection for our people and UNRWA's role in
[00:01:55] these circumstances,
[00:01:58] the movements at as well as the implications of the financial crisis and political pressures on the agency's future and refugees'
[00:02:02] This rights. To talk about you face in
[00:02:05] your movements and communications in this dealing with this UNRWA's reality and its role in the Gaza Strip and the most prominent challenges it faces
[00:02:09] we partner with a series and group of and official movements to ensure the continuity of its work
[00:02:11] and the protection of its UN
[00:02:14] Palestinians have been killed, mandate, Mr. Kanaan Al-Jamal, Director of UNRWA Affairs in
[00:02:17] the Department of Refugee Affairs at the Palestine Liberation Organization, joins
[00:02:30] at the outset, UNRWA's situation today in
[00:02:33] the Gaza Strip with
[00:02:36] more support, whether at the large humanitarian catastrophe that is afflicting our people
[00:02:39] Palestinian refugees there, and also how
[00:02:41] your moves in this do you assess its ability to the financial level or respond to all these
[00:02:50] state has been doing
[00:02:53] since October 7th
[00:02:55] damaged because a large number until now, with all these measures that disregard all
[00:02:59] international resolutions that it was a part of by signing the United
[00:03:03] Nations Charter
[00:03:04] the most prominent question to mandate UNRWA to protect and operate for Palestinian
[00:03:12] a point where UNRWA
[00:03:16] for has exhausted all its efforts towards
[00:03:19] us in the entry of a those supervising Palestinian Palestinian refugees and is unable to fulfill its obligations towards Palestinian
[00:03:23] refugees. We all saw how Israel began
[00:03:26] targeting UNRWA militarily on the ground by destroying
[00:03:30] schools and health centers and relief centers,
[00:03:33] and that extended to killing more than 400
[00:03:41] of them or a group of and so that it can UN staff members who stand firm against this wear the blue UN uniforms that were unable to protect them at any moment.
[00:03:46] urgently and not All of that was aimed at Palestinian
[00:03:49] can stand firm on the ground due to this refugees in general and at the Palestinian refugee issue to try to erase it
[00:03:58] And this, of course, any targeting on so that this file
[00:04:00] refugees. Education, this has no value after Israel
[00:04:05] Mr. Mustafa, in this has succeeded in erasing UNRWA and destroying UNRWA
[00:04:09] whether in Jordan, and its headquarters. And also the political
[00:04:14] In the coming stage, targeting that the occupation state carried out
[00:04:17] a position that, I mean, and the pressure exerted by the United States of America by providing
[00:04:20] everything necessary for the occupation state to politically pressure
[00:04:24] Regarding the first part of the
[00:04:26] behind UNRWA and for UNRWA to be in all those who provide grants from donor countries that are part of the UN Charter
[00:04:30] for UNRWA, sometimes by intimidation and sometimes
[00:04:34] by temptation. All of that,
[00:04:36] development projects in unfortunately, has to some extent borne fruit, as UNRWA
[00:04:40] is suffering from a very
[00:04:42] and the mother transfers guardianship to her from severe financial crisis. This financial crisis is not fabricated, but rather
[00:04:46] to act, whether at it is political.
[00:04:46] projects in And now the financial crisis threatens UNRWA's existence and threatens
[00:04:50] UNRWA's services,
[00:04:53] aid for this those health, education,
[00:04:55] and financial support for it. What are your priorities in this and relief services that constitute
[00:04:56] it the lifeline for Palestinian refugees throughout UNRWA's operations
[00:04:59] in the five operational areas, whether in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
[00:05:03] and Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
[00:05:05] And the financial crisis that has exceeded approximately
[00:05:09] 100 million dollars for UNRWA, and this very large amount
[00:05:14] is, I mean, essential services,
[00:05:17] very important services that constitute
[00:05:20] the lifeline for Palestinian refugees in all these areas, especially
[00:05:24] the Gaza Strip. When we mention the Gaza Strip, UNRWA statistics
[00:05:27] say that approximately 98% of
[00:05:30] the people of the Gaza Strip who have been displaced and who
[00:05:34] have, of course, the entire Gaza Strip has been subjected to displacement, war, killing, destruction,
[00:05:38] and targeting, so approximately 80-90% of the buildings
[00:05:42] will rely entirely on UNRWA's services.
[00:05:47] the health sector, 98% of the people
[00:05:50] of the Gaza Strip are exposed
[00:05:54] to direct serious health impacts
[00:05:58] through all
[00:06:02] health services due to the Israeli targeting. Now,
[00:06:05] the piles of rubbish, which amount to thousands
[00:06:09] of tons, also, unfortunately, the piles of rubbish, which amount to thousands of tons, also from garbage
[00:06:13] and sewage and the spread
[00:06:16] of rodents and the spread of diseases threaten these
[00:06:19] people with chronic diseases and
[00:06:23] infectious diseases that plague the people of the Gaza Strip, infants,
[00:06:27] and pregnant women. And UNRWA, through
[00:06:29] its teams, which number more than
[00:06:32] 1,000 employees who are striving
[00:06:35] day and night
[00:06:39] to provide this service and, I mean, competing with time
[00:06:42] to try to bridge the gap as much
[00:06:45] as possible according to the available capabilities in the Gaza Strip,
[00:06:48] and the occupation has worked to, I mean, cut off the main lifeline for that
[00:06:52] institution by preventing all aid
[00:06:55] and logistics from entering the Gaza Strip. And these employees work in very
[00:06:59] difficult conditions. I mean, for example, if we mention the psychological
[00:07:03] healing that UNRWA teams provide
[00:07:06] to students who have just
[00:07:10] returned to school after three years of being out
[00:07:13] of school due to the war that was waged against the Palestinian people,
[00:07:17] this war that aims at displacement and ethnic
[00:07:21] cleansing. These students who have lost fathers
[00:07:25] and lost mothers and lost families, who provides this
[00:07:28] service, and they have also been displaced dozens of times, and they are in need of
[00:07:32] psychological healing with those, I mean, these
[00:07:35] I mean, in light of these serious facts that
[00:07:39] you detailed, Mr. Kanaan Al-Jamal, is there today
[00:07:43] coordination between you and UNRWA
[00:07:45] to perhaps mobilize
[00:07:50] at the political level? What are
[00:07:55] There is hardly a day that goes by without
[00:07:58] meetings with UNRWA leaders. The Department
[00:08:01] of Refugee Affairs, headed by Dr. Ahmed Abu Houli, who is making
[00:08:05] efforts with UNRWA staff and all relevant parties, whether in the Palestinian
[00:08:08] Presidency or the Palestinian Diplomatic Mission to the United Nations,
[00:08:12] they are making very great efforts
[00:08:16] to mobilize political and financial support for UNRWA, and also
[00:08:19] I mean, we in the Department of Refugee Affairs, for example, target
[00:08:23] all ambassadors representing the State of Palestine
[00:08:26] to urge their countries that voted in favor
[00:08:30] of extending UNRWA's mandate for three more years to translate this political
[00:08:34] support into financial support
[00:08:36] quickly and spontaneously, to have
[00:08:40] an increase in these allocations.
[00:08:47] without being financially supported very much
[00:08:51] Israeli military and political targeting and also be
[00:08:55] able to fulfill its obligations. UNRWA, for
[00:08:57] example, manages approximately more than 706
[00:09:01] schools, six schools in its five
[00:09:04] operational areas and provides educational services to more than half
[00:09:07] a million students, male and female, from Palestinian
[00:09:13] very important sector, which is considered a main lifeline
[00:09:17] for the Palestinian people, who rely heavily on it, whether in the homeland or in
[00:09:21] the diaspora, is threatened due to the lack of
[00:09:25] UNRWA's capabilities. There are schools that lack
[00:09:29] teachers. There are schools that lack educational
[00:09:32] materials. There are schools that also lack
[00:09:36] many capabilities, in addition to the occupation's targeting
[00:09:40] of all the schools that it manages. For example, in
[00:09:43] East Jerusalem, the occupation state forcibly closed them
[00:09:46] and replaced them, and they are now
[00:09:49] under the administration of the occupation's municipality
[00:09:52] in Jerusalem, replacing UNRWA's services
[00:09:56] with other services. Medical and health clinics
[00:09:59] that provide health services to thousands of citizens
[00:10:02] and refugees in East Jerusalem and in Shuafat refugee camp, for example. Recently,
[00:10:06] the occupation forces, led by the extremist Ben Gvir,
[00:10:09] stormed the vocational training
[00:10:13] college belonging to UNRWA in Qalandia refugee camp.
[00:10:16] This college, I mean, since it was
[00:10:20] established until now, has provided vocational educational services to more than
[00:10:23] 28,000 students.
[00:10:38] In order to explain more, perhaps, the movements or initiatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization in coordination with UNRWA,
[00:10:41] if you would allow, I mean, are there any
[00:10:44] initiatives or specific
[00:10:48] international donor agencies, with specific countries?
[00:10:51] Have any results been achieved so far?
[00:10:55] Yes, I mean, there is almost daily communication
[00:10:58] firstly at the level of host countries for Palestinian
[00:11:01] refugees. We mention among them Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
[00:11:05] These are the countries that shelter Palestinian refugees and host Palestinian
[00:11:09] refugees. And also there are almost daily meetings with
[00:11:12] the highest levels with the Commissioner-
[00:11:15] UNRWA also to, I mean,
[00:11:19] to urge efforts to collect
[00:11:23] issues that need to be addressed so that
[00:11:27] UNRWA can provide its services. In addition to that, also the donor
[00:11:31] countries, we are in daily contact with donor countries
[00:11:34] to urge them to commit to providing their services to Palestinian
[00:11:37] refugees and through UNRWA. Yes, there are countries
[00:11:41] that have responded to these calls
[00:11:44] and have responded to all the programs that UNRWA offers because they believe, first
[00:11:48] of all, that UNRWA is the only
[00:11:51] institution that cannot be replaced in serving Palestinian
[00:11:55] refugees, as Israel tried to replace UNRWA
[00:11:58] with other institutions to abolish UNRWA's right and abolish the refugees'
[00:12:02] right. These countries have provided millions in a, I mean,
[00:12:05] urgent way, I mean, outside
[00:12:09] the usual program for providing grants to UNRWA,
[00:12:13] and this helps, this helps greatly. We mention among them
[00:12:16] Germany and we mention among them the Netherlands and we mention among them many countries that,
[00:12:20] I mean, what about
[00:12:23] the Arab and Islamic levels? Is
[00:12:27] this a priority in
[00:12:30] context? Is there a response from you and an awareness
[00:12:33] of the scale of the catastrophe facing UNRWA, Mr.
[00:12:36] Jamal? Certainly, I mean,
[00:12:39] Islamically and Arabically, everyone feels the seriousness
[00:12:42] of targeting UNRWA and this escalation in targeting UNRWA,
[00:12:45] and, I mean, its danger to national security in the region
[00:12:48] and in the region and even to the world,
[00:12:52] that, I mean, targeting UNRWA
[00:12:58] for approximately 6,447,480
[00:13:04] in the five areas registered according to UNRWA, this is
[00:13:07] a great danger. This is a great danger that all these
[00:13:10] services will be cast in the face of
[00:13:14] the host countries, and, I mean, we do not exclude the Palestinian
[00:13:17] Authority, which is considered, according to international laws, a host state. The Palestinian Authority
[00:13:21] is also under great pressure to take over some of UNRWA's
[00:13:25] services for Palestinian refugees, and this is a political danger
[00:13:29] and a national danger that cannot be accepted. Therefore, I mean,
[00:13:33] there is a great response. There is great interaction. I mean,
[00:13:36] soon there will be meetings in Cairo
[00:13:43] refugees and donors to Palestinian refugees. In these sessions,
[00:13:46] the smallest details are discussed on how to overcome this crisis and help
[00:13:50] UNRWA and stand by UNRWA. Also, urging countries
[00:13:54] through the League of Arab States, whether it is the Islamic community
[00:13:57] or the international community, and demanding the United Nations,
[00:14:01] through Mr. Guterres, to make greater and wider efforts
[00:14:04] to target donor countries to fulfill their obligations urgently
[00:14:08] and also to come up with strategies
[00:14:11] for UNRWA so that UNRWA
[00:14:14] great targeting by the occupation forces to destroy UNRWA
[00:14:18] and its facilities, whether in the West Bank or in the Gaza Strip.
[00:14:23] the ground, whether political or financial or military, has
[00:14:27] an impact on the masses of Palestinian refugees who receive services from UNRWA
[00:14:30] in all regions spread
[00:14:34] in Syria, and in Lebanon, and in the Gaza Strip
[00:14:37] and the West Bank. So, UNRWA and Iran are in
[00:14:42] is not enviable, frankly, because we, I mean,
[00:14:45] are very concerned to stand firmly and strongly
[00:14:51] the forefront, and the Department of Refugee Affairs spares no effort, frankly,
[00:14:55] to, I mean, contract with all donor
[00:14:58] entities that can provide
[00:15:01] the camps, but that it be in a partnership that enhances
[00:15:05] UNRWA's role. We mention in that regard Japan, which
[00:15:07] provides many millions and pioneering
[00:15:11] the camps.
[00:15:14] Of course, all of that in partnership with the Department of Refugee Affairs
[00:15:17] and UNRWA,
[00:15:21] is in the forefront, and also Italian institutions and German
[00:15:25] institutions and so on provide all these projects. All of these
[00:15:27] collectively are in enhancing UNRWA's role in the Palestinian
[00:15:31] camps so that there is no gap
[00:15:34] that affects the services provided to refugees. If
[00:15:37] the financial deficit that UNRWA faces
[00:15:40] continues, and in the same vein and on the same
[00:15:44] lines, what is the scenario that
[00:15:46] you fear most at the level of agency services and refugee
[00:15:50] rights in the long term?
[00:15:53] I mean, there are two aspects. The service aspect, which is urgently
[00:15:57] needed by all Palestinian refugees throughout
[00:16:01] one is unaware of the situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon,
[00:16:05] Syria, and the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It is
[00:16:09] the most prominent concern that these services
[00:16:12] do not stop and that there is no
[00:16:15] impact of the financial crisis on the volume
[00:16:18] and type of services provided to Palestinian refugees. Therefore,
[00:16:22] the door is now open to all partnerships that enhance UNRWA's
[00:16:26] role, and, I mean, there is flexibility in dealing with these
[00:16:29] programs so that they are partners with UNRWA in a way
[00:16:34] from the political side. There are, I mean, great
[00:16:38] efforts being made
[00:16:40] جدا
[00:16:42] to ensure that this fabricated financial and political
[00:16:46] crisis does not undermine UNRWA's funding, that there
[00:16:49] is no rapid decline, and that
[00:16:52] the amounts provided to UNRWA and the budgets
[00:16:55] provided to UNRWA must be clear and
[00:16:59] must be smooth, and the United Nations must adopt that
[00:17:02] so that these funds are not empty at the United
[00:17:06] Nations and UNRWA, key programs
[00:17:10] such as health, education, and relief.
[00:17:13] Frankly, I mean,
[00:17:18] crisis and in UNRWA's budgets continues,
[00:17:21] it will certainly have a very negative
[00:17:24] and, I mean, rapid impact, unfortunately, a rapid
[00:17:30] cannot bear any loss of
[00:17:33] any kind of services provided to Palestinian
[00:17:37] refugees. I mean, the Gaza Strip is now facing a hidden famine and daily
[00:17:41] targeting, as Mr. Lazzarini mentioned, the war
[00:17:45] that has not stopped for a moment, even with the ceasefire agreement. Approximately
[00:17:48] 1,400
[00:17:52] including children and women, and the targeting of homes and clinics and so on
[00:17:55] is still ongoing, and this is, I mean, disrupting
[00:17:59] UNRWA's services and targeting UNRWA's services. Also,
[00:18:02] the northern West Bank, Palestinian refugees who were expelled from
[00:18:05] their camps, approximately 33
[00:18:11] are being fought with all might by the Israeli army so that they are not able to
[00:18:15] provide any services to these refugees. And today, incidentally,
[00:18:19] the occupation's Court of Justice, I mean,
[00:18:23] decided that there must be a specific
[00:18:26] date set for ending the military
[00:18:29] operation in these camps
[00:18:32] and allowing refugees to return to
[00:18:34] their camps. All of that in the face
[00:18:38] of the steadfastness of Palestinian refugees, because one of the conditions
[00:18:42] that the occupation presented for returning and ending the military operation was that
[00:18:45] there should be no role for refugees
[00:18:48] for UNRWA in providing services to Palestinian refugees. Therefore,
[00:18:52] the effort is a joint effort, an international effort, a local
[00:18:55] effort, a popular effort, and all those who, I mean,
[00:18:58] the meetings of the Advisory Committee and the donor countries for Palestinian refugees, which
[00:19:02] will take place after a short period, these discuss
[00:19:06] the budgets and how they are provided and how and in what
[00:19:09] ways they are spent. Therefore, these are directed
[00:19:12] to refugees, I apologize, to the donors
[00:19:15] in these meetings, that these discussions should focus
[00:19:19] on how to spend these budgets
[00:19:23] delay, because the Gaza Strip has, I mean, we
[00:19:27] are on the verge of winter, and there are warnings that it will be a harsh winter. Therefore,
[00:19:31] the situation in the Gaza Strip, whether health or education or
[00:19:34] relief or even daily living, is very harsh. It
[00:19:38] is only possible that UNRWA has supplies and that
[00:19:41] the doors are opened for UNRWA through the budgets provided to it so that
[00:19:44] it can relieve these afflicted people in the Gaza Strip
[00:19:48] who are being fought daily by Israeli
[00:19:50] tanks and Israeli aircraft that
[00:19:53] bomb plastic tents. All
[00:19:56] of that also in the West Bank, the continuous threat from
[00:20:00] the Israeli army to invade new camps and displace
[00:20:03] their people. What is happening in Qalandia camp and what is happening in Shuafat
[00:20:07] camp
[00:20:14] Mr. Jamal, if you could please shed more light on your priorities in the Department
[00:20:17] of Refugee Affairs at the Palestine Liberation
[00:20:21] Organization
[00:20:23] the official levels or otherwise,
[00:20:27] to try to support UNRWA and mobilize political
[00:20:33] regard? The first
[00:20:35] priority is to translate the great
[00:20:38] political support for UNRWA
[00:20:41] into urgent financial support. This is a top
[00:20:44] priority, because if the countries that politically
[00:20:48] supported UNRWA are able to fulfill their obligations
[00:20:52] urgently and without harsh conditions, unfortunately, some donor countries
[00:20:55] provide aid, but it is conditional
[00:20:58] on harsh terms, meaning it forces
[00:21:02] UNRWA to take paths that harm
[00:21:06] Palestinian refugees, harm the Palestinian cause, and harm
[00:21:09] UNRWA's existence. Therefore, the efforts are now focused
[00:21:13] on ensuring that these funds are actually provided purely
[00:21:16] to UNRWA without any conditions, because these
[00:21:20] conditions, I mean, delay and cause delays in
[00:21:23] providing these services and securing what can be secured
[00:21:27] of the rights of Palestinian refugees, whether relief, education, or
[00:21:31] health, because the Gaza Strip is in urgent need, as we mentioned
[00:21:34] earlier, in urgent need before
[00:21:36] winter arrives. Also, the United Nations
[00:21:40] is now required, and the Palestinian diplomatic
[00:21:43] mission submits proposals, and of course, they are
[00:21:47] discussed with all partners and with all
[00:21:49] friends and brothers in Arab and Islamic countries
[00:21:53] and friends from countries in the world so that this
[00:21:56] mission can mobilize support
[00:22:00] for UNRWA in stopping Israeli
[00:22:03] aggressions and considering the state of Israel
[00:22:07] an aggressor state and a violator of international law
[00:22:10] with regard to UNRWA and other international
[00:22:13] institutions that operate within the framework of the United Nations,
[00:22:17] and also that these countries use their power,
[00:22:21] whether in the Security Council and the House of Commons
[00:22:24] and the United Nations Council, to make
[00:22:27] Israel retract all that it has done through
[00:22:30] occupying UNRWA centers such as the Qalandia
[00:22:34] center and the Sheikh Jarrah headquarters and the schools in Shuafat camp
[00:22:38] and disrupting all these services and returning
[00:22:41] UNRWA to provide these services with financial support. Thank
[00:22:45] you very much, Mr. Kanaan Al-Jamal, Director of UNRWA Affairs in the Department of Refugee Affairs
[00:22:49] at the Palestine Liberation Organization, our guest from Nablus. Thank
[00:22:53] you very much. In the Gaza Strip, the repercussions of the war
[00:22:56] do not stop at the number of martyrs and wounded, nor
[00:23:00] at the number of homes destroyed and families displaced,
[00:23:03] but extend to thousands of children who found
[00:23:07] themselves in a harsh reality after losing
[00:23:10] one or both of their parents and losing with them their source
[00:23:14] of safety and stability. Official sources reveal that
[00:23:18] more than 5,000
[00:23:21] orphans were registered until last June,
[00:23:24] while more than 2,000 children have joined
[00:23:27] the orphan registries since the ceasefire was announced.
[00:23:33] of the humanitarian and social catastrophe
[00:23:36] experienced by the Gaza Strip, where the needs
[00:23:39] of children are escalating amid continuous displacement, loss
[00:23:42] of shelter, and declining basic services, in addition
[00:23:46] to the psychological and social challenges
[00:23:49] that the war leaves in their souls. However,
[00:23:54] is not only about the scale of the tragedy,
[00:23:57] but about the ability of the concerned institutions to provide
[00:24:00] protection and care for these children, and to ensure
[00:24:04] their rights to education, health, and a decent life
[00:24:07] away from temporary relief solutions.
[00:24:11] And about the reality of orphans in the Gaza Strip, their needs,
[00:24:15] and mechanisms for their care, and the challenges facing
[00:24:18] the responsible institutions for their protection, we speak
[00:24:22] in this episode with the head of the Orphans File in the Gaza
[00:24:25] Strip, Professor
[00:24:36] 65,000 orphans in the Gaza
[00:24:39] Strip since October 7, 2023,
[00:24:41] 2023
[00:24:44] what do these numbers reflect about the scale of the humanitarian
[00:24:47] and social catastrophe in the southern governorates? How
[00:24:50] are these massive
[00:25:27] October, the number of orphans in the southern
[00:25:30] governorates reached 67,000
[00:25:33] orphans distributed among five
[00:25:35] governorates.
[00:25:38] A very large percentage of them
[00:25:42] suffer from very difficult living
[00:25:45] conditions that they live in
[00:25:48] the Gaza Strip as a result
[00:25:50] of the continuous Israeli aggression. Of course,
[00:25:53] some of the
[00:25:55] orphans have disabilities, and their number reached
[00:25:58] 1,180 orphans. They have about five.
[00:26:02] Orphans suffering from malnutrition. We have
[00:26:06] patients such as thalassemia patients, about 18 orphans,
[00:26:10] and cancer patients, 30 other orphans. And we have
[00:26:14] the percentage that we are interested in at this time,
[00:26:17] the percentage of missing persons. I mean,
[00:26:20] about 9,000
[00:26:24] people, 9,500 people
[00:26:27] are missing, who are not registered as orphans, but
[00:26:30] their children are treated as
[00:26:38] of Social Development consider ourselves the main
[00:26:41] umbrella
[00:26:45] the main umbrella that brings together all the work
[00:26:48] of humanitarian organizations to manage the orphan
[00:26:51] relief system in the southern governorates.
[00:26:54] Of course, we have direct instructions from
[00:26:58] His Excellency the Prime Minister, Dr. Muhammad Mustafa,
[00:27:02] as well as from Her Excellency Dr. Samah Hamad, the Minister of Social
[00:27:05] Development, to pay attention to this file
[00:27:09] in particular and to consider it a
[00:27:11] priority due to the scale of the disaster that
[00:27:14] we are unfortunately facing.
[00:27:18] Today we are talking about approximately 3.5%
[00:27:21] 3.5%
[00:27:24] of the population of the Gaza Strip being orphans. This group
[00:27:28] in society. The number is huge and the scale is enormous.
[00:27:32] It requires a very large intervention and
[00:27:35] is not limited to, okay. You mentioned,
[00:27:38] Mr. Miqdad, that in the Ministry of Social Development,
[00:27:40] you form the umbrella for coordinating all efforts
[00:27:44] and services provided to these orphans.
[00:27:48] What is your role? Where do you stand? Your role in the Ministry of Social
[00:27:51] Development? What services do you provide in light of the
[00:27:55] major financial crisis facing the government,
[00:27:57] and who are the active agencies
[00:28:00] and institutions on the ground that provide support
[00:28:04] and care for these
[00:28:05] orphans?
[00:28:08] As the Ministry of Social Development,
[00:28:12] local and international partners
[00:28:15] to regulate the entry of aid
[00:28:17] for distribution to community members in
[00:28:21] general, and orphans in particular, because the role of
[00:28:24] the Ministry of Development at this stage is relief
[00:28:28] and entering the stage of recovery and providing
[00:28:30] assistance. It has become more fragile and more
[00:28:34] in need. Our role at this
[00:28:38] stage is to provide food parcels and hygiene
[00:28:42] parcels, and to provide clothes and coverings, and to provide
[00:28:45] shopping vouchers, and to provide
[00:28:48] even sponsorships for orphans. We are talking
[00:28:51] about approximately 82% of
[00:28:55] orphan families have generally benefited,
[00:28:59] but the need is greater than the amount
[00:29:02] of aid available and what can be provided at this stage
[00:29:06] to our people. We are talking about
[00:29:10] about
[00:29:14] 15 to 17 thousand orphans who have been fully
[00:29:18] sponsored. We provide
[00:29:21] our services to all categories of orphans
[00:29:24] scattered throughout the Gaza Strip, whether
[00:29:27] accompanied and included in their family care or
[00:29:31] unaccompanied.
[00:29:35] We provide them in addition to, as I mentioned
[00:29:39] earlier, food parcels. We monitor a large number
[00:29:44] unaccompanied orphans.
[00:29:47] We monitor their educational system and their integration into
[00:29:51] educational institutions, and we monitor their health conditions
[00:29:55] through institutions scattered throughout the Gaza Strip and partner
[00:29:58] associations, as I said at the beginning, whether
[00:30:02] they are international or local.
[00:30:08] context and given the data you mentioned, is there
[00:30:11] an updated and comprehensive database
[00:30:14] of orphans in the Gaza Strip
[00:30:17] that allows for the identification of their locations, social
[00:30:20] and economic conditions, and actual
[00:30:22] needs?
[00:30:26] question, yes, we have a database in which we
[00:30:30] have enumerated all the orphans present in the southern
[00:30:33] governorates with their detailed data
[00:30:36] and their evidentiary documents, because no orphan is
[00:30:40] approved unless this is supported by a series of
[00:30:43] official documents. This is primarily the case, but the
[00:30:46] nature, the nature of the war or
[00:30:50] the slaughter, as we call it, the slaughter we lived through in the Gaza
[00:30:52] Strip made it difficult for us to
[00:30:56] continuously determine the locations
[00:30:58] of orphans. For example, some orphans may be
[00:31:04] in Rafah governorate, for example. Today, Rafah governorate is no
[00:31:08] longer on the map and is not inhabited.
[00:31:10] It is difficult to determine their displacement area, and this
[00:31:14] applies to the residents of the northern governorate.
[00:31:17] Most of the northern governorate is not inhabited. The residents who
[00:31:21] lost their fathers and were included in the list of orphans moved
[00:31:24] to other residential areas,
[00:31:28] we
[00:31:33] data is accurate, whether it is related
[00:31:37] to the orphan or the orphan's family, or even their
[00:31:41] residential locations. So, regarding orphans who have lost
[00:31:44] both parents, how are they dealt
[00:31:48] with, and do they perhaps constitute
[00:31:50] a priority in responding to humanitarian
[00:31:53] needs and urgent
[00:31:55] needs? Certainly, orphans who
[00:31:59] have lost both their father and mother receive
[00:32:02] special attention and care, but as a Ministry of Development,
[00:32:06] and from our national responsibility entrusted to
[00:32:10] us, we try to shelter these
[00:32:13] orphans within the extended family, and this
[00:32:17] helps us because the nature of our Palestinian society
[00:32:20] prefers caring for orphans due to its religious
[00:32:24] or national motive.
[00:32:27] However, the remaining and very small
[00:32:30] group that does not have an extended family, we,
[00:32:34] as the Ministry of Development, consider ourselves responsible for them
[00:32:37] and provide them with special care homes for permanent
[00:32:41] residence. They are there and are monitored
[00:32:46] around the clock for all these cases, and even
[00:32:50] their expenses are provided as orphan sponsorships
[00:32:52] through a group of institutions affiliated
[00:32:56] with the Ministry of Development that are managed by our
[00:32:59] partners, affiliated with the Ministry
[00:33:03] the southern governorates. Mr. Mustafa, in light of these major
[00:33:07] and immense challenges that face your work in the
[00:33:10] Gaza Strip, specifically with regard to the orphan file,
[00:33:14] what are the most prominent challenges
[00:33:18] file?
[00:33:20] Among the most prominent challenges we face
[00:33:24] is the shortage of staff. We have a large number
[00:33:27] of our employees who have been martyred or
[00:33:30] have left the country under duress or have been
[00:33:33] retired. The halt in appointments
[00:33:36] and recruitments has affected our work
[00:33:39] partially, not completely. This
[00:33:43] The second challenge is the Israeli occupation, which
[00:33:47] plays a major role in trying to prevent the entry
[00:33:51] of aid or limiting the type
[00:33:55] of aid that enters the Gaza Strip. The third
[00:33:58] challenge is the process of transferring funds
[00:34:00] for sponsorships.
[00:34:02] Facing a huge and enormous burden and great difficulty, the issue of transferring
[00:34:06] funds is subject to control, repercussions,
[00:34:10] and sometimes frequent rejection regarding orphan
[00:34:13] sponsorships.
[00:34:15] This sometimes makes it so that we
[00:34:19] collect them every three months, the sponsorship is paid once, and this
[00:34:23] delay leads to a deficit within the
[00:34:26] family, which relies on the sponsorships
[00:34:30] that reach the orphan as one of its means of subsistence.
[00:34:33] Also among our challenges is
[00:34:36] the fragmentation of the Gaza Strip and its area, which
[00:34:40] are among the challenges we face.
[00:34:43] Unfortunately, the movement of many people as a result
[00:34:46] of the continuous incursions and repeated displacement of citizens
[00:34:50] and their movement from place to place,
[00:34:53] because, for example, if we assume today that a family
[00:34:57] registered with us is in Gaza City or
[00:35:01] we provided them with food aid for them to receive
[00:35:05] South, and we discovered that
[00:35:08] South,
[00:35:11] the South, this will affect
[00:35:16] the way they receive it because
[00:35:19] transporting aid from Gaza to the South is very
[00:35:23] difficult and may be higher than the cost of the food parcel itself
[00:35:26] that they are supposed to receive. That is, the repeated displacement and
[00:35:30] the instability of citizens in a specific residential area
[00:35:34] are among the biggest challenges we face. The last challenge
[00:35:38] we face is the issue of constantly changing
[00:35:41] legal guardianship for orphans. We have
[00:35:44] problems. The family
[00:35:47] within the extended family transfers
[00:35:51] guardianship to the mother, and the mother, or, I'm sorry,
[00:35:54] transfers guardianship from the mother,
[00:35:57] the grandfather. And here, sometimes, we face a problem of
[00:36:01] duplication in our work. We do not know who is supposed
[00:36:04] to receive
[00:36:08] orphan. In the beginning and the end,
[00:36:11] we rely on official documents issued by the courts,
[00:36:15] but sometimes we face
[00:36:17] problems in connecting with these
[00:36:21] courts due to the continuous interruption of the Internet
[00:36:25] and the continuous interruption of electricity.
[00:36:28] Data transfer is sometimes delayed, so these are among the biggest difficulties
[00:36:31] we face in the Gaza Strip. So,
[00:36:35] let's move to another point regarding the extent of the
[00:36:38] contribution or the contribution of international
[00:36:40] organizations and other associations in caring for
[00:36:46] regard?
[00:36:49] All orphan care institutions
[00:36:52] that are licensed and have legalized their status
[00:36:56] implement all their programs, whether
[00:36:59] food parcels, sponsorship programs, psychological support
[00:37:03] programs, or even shopping vouchers.
[00:37:06] They implement them for us, implemented through
[00:37:09] the Ministry of Social Development
[00:37:11] and in full coordination with the Ministry of Social Development, because, to be
[00:37:15] clear, the Israelis refuse the direct
[00:37:18] entry of aid to the Ministry of Social
[00:37:21] Development, um, or as the Palestinian National Authority.
[00:37:25] So, we regulate this process between associations
[00:37:29] to prevent any duplication and to ensure
[00:37:32] this process runs smoothly, because
[00:37:36] the Ministry of Development has the database, the Ministry
[00:37:39] of Development has access to all members
[00:37:42] of society, and the Ministry of Development regulates the data distribution
[00:37:45] process. So, to regulate this process,
[00:37:49] the connection and control must be
[00:37:53] unified, and for the sake of unifying efforts,
[00:37:55] it should
[00:37:57] be under the umbrella of the Ministry of Social Development as the official
[00:38:01] sponsor of the relief process within the Gaza Strip
[00:38:04] in general. Um, these associations
[00:38:08] play a pioneering role and a very
[00:38:11] well-known role. They provide
[00:38:14] continuous assistance under the supervision of the Ministry
[00:38:17] of Social Development. The main obstacle we
[00:38:21] face regarding associations is unlicensed
[00:38:24] associations that operate outside a legal
[00:38:27] framework.
[00:38:30] framework
[00:38:33] creates a flaw in the relief system in the Gaza
[00:38:36] Strip. Aha. So, do you have any
[00:38:39] estimates, Mr. Mustafa, for the financial
[00:38:42] and logistical needs for the care of orphans during
[00:38:45] the coming months, and what are
[00:38:49] the priorities and most prominent priorities that cannot
[00:38:52] be postponed?
[00:38:56] in the coming stage, during the coming days, we will enter
[00:38:59] a cold wave
[00:39:02] and a severe cold snap. Most of the tents
[00:39:05] are unfortunately damaged, because we are talking about
[00:39:08] 70% or 75% of the residents of the Gaza Strip who live in
[00:39:14] not supposed to last more than a
[00:39:17] full year.
[00:39:20] Today, the tents have become
[00:39:23] of families need to replace their tents. Unfortunately, we
[00:39:27] confirm to you that we
[00:39:29] do not have in the Ministry of Development, and in the warehouses of the Ministry of Development,
[00:39:33] and our partners in the Ministry of Development, any tents in the coming stage
[00:39:36] or currently available to us.
[00:39:39] We are waiting or hoping that the coming
[00:39:41] days will help us or assist
[00:39:47] group of tents that will alleviate
[00:39:50] the burden of the coming winter on the citizens. This is primarily
[00:39:54] the case. Secondly, we need a set of
[00:39:57] assistive devices for orphans
[00:40:01] or
[00:40:04] orphans affiliated with the Ministry of Social Development and registered in the
[00:40:07] Ministry of Social Development's records, such as
[00:40:11] prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, and simple
[00:40:14] medical devices. We have a great shortage of them, and we
[00:40:18] need special shelters for people with special needs. I
[00:40:22] mentioned in the statistics that we have 1180
[00:40:25] disabled orphans.
[00:40:27] Or we have people with chronic diseases, also a considerable
[00:40:31] number. We need special camps
[00:40:35] for people with special needs. These have special rules
[00:40:39] and regulations.
[00:40:42] unfortunately, we need clothes
[00:40:45] for orphans, especially with the approach of
[00:40:48] winter. We are trying through partners,
[00:40:51] after communicating with a group, but unfortunately, the Israeli decision
[00:40:54] was issued a few days ago to stop
[00:40:58] coordinating the entry of clothes into