UAE delegation led by Sharjah Deputy Ruler visits Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan
A delegation from the UAE, led by Sharjah Deputy Ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, visited the Marka refugee camp in Jordan where over 70,000 Palestinian refugees are currently living.
The delegation highlighted the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address the escalating humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, and called for implementing sustainable development projects in health, education, and food security to provide essential life resource.
'The Palestinian people have endured decades of displacement and now face severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza as a result of the ongoing war, which has dismantled their social and institutional structures and deprived them of basic human rights, including access to education and healthcare,' the Sharjah Deputy Ruler said.
'Therefore, our humanitarian efforts must go beyond immediate relief to include sustainable projects that support current and future generations through health and education.'
Al Qasimi added that humanitarian work is a religious and moral obligation, and a right of the vulnerable and the needy.
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His visit came alongside the the ongoing 'For Gaza' campaign, launched by Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi during Ramadan, to provide comprehensive support for more than 20,000 orphaned children in Gaza.
Last month, The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) announced the launch of the campaign in partnership with Palestine-based Taawon Foundation to provide long-term care and essential services for orphaned children in the city.
Food scarcity
The delegation comprising representatives from TBHF, government entities, and private sector companies visited a food security project led by the humanitarian organization ANERA, which supports refugees and conflict-affected populations in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
The initiative empowers refugee communities to produce food through farms and greenhouses, enabling year-round agricultural output. This model aims to strengthen self-reliance among refugees and lessen dependence on external assistance. Food scarcity is regarded as one of the fastest-escalating humanitarian crises, with immediate and profound impacts on communities during periods of conflict, instability, or natural disasters.
The programme also included a visit to the Marka Girls' Preparatory School, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Sheikh Sultan also met with members of the student parliament from Marka Camp who shared their educational experiences and the challenges they face. He toured classrooms, engaged with teaching staff, and reviewed the school's development plans and the camp's future educational requirements.
He also met with representatives of the Tawoon Foundation where they discussed strategies for rapid response to essential needs and plans to provide critical services across key sectors.
The Tawoon Board of Directors briefed the group about the Noor program for orphan care, launched in the Gaza Strip, where the number of children orphaned by the war has exceeded 39,000. The delegation also heard a series of recorded and live contributions from program staff based in Gaza and Egypt.
The visit concluded with a debriefing session involving the accompanying delegation to review the outcomes and examine best practices in humanitarian work within Jordan's refugee camps. The discussion also addressed how these models could be adapted and applied to support refugees and displaced persons within the occupied Palestinian territories. His Highness underscored the importance of developing humanitarian programs and initiatives that respond effectively to the unprecedented challenges facing the region.
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