
UAE delegation led by Sharjah Deputy Ruler visits Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan
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.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
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.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Middle East Eye
35 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Netherlands bans Israeli ministers, urges EU sanctions over Gaza
The Dutch government has barred two of Israel's far-right ministers from entering the country, citing their incitement of violence and support for ethnic cleansing. '[National Security Minister] Itamar Ben Gvir and [Finance Minister] Bezalel Smotrich are no longer welcome here,' Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp announced late on Monday. The Netherlands formally declared both men as persona non grata and pledged to enter their names into the Schengen Area's registry of undesirable individuals. Defending the move in parliament, Veldkamp said the pair had 'repeatedly incited violence against the Palestinian population, persistently advocated for the expansion of illegal settlements, and called for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.' 'These actions and statements are beyond justification,' he added. 'The cabinet has taken this step because their conduct undermines any prospect for peace and breaches fundamental principles of international law.' New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Ben Gvir lashed out on social media, declaring: 'Even if I'm banned from entering all of Europe, I will continue to fight for our country," adding that "in Europe, as is often the case, the victim is blamed.' He continued: 'In a place where terrorism is tolerated and terrorists are welcomed, a Jewish minister from Israel is unwelcome, terrorists are free, and Jews are boycotted.' 'The people of Gaza must be given immediate, unfettered, safe access to humanitarian aid' - Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof In his statement, Veldkamp also revealed that since 7 October 2023, the Dutch government had rejected eleven export licences for military equipment or dual-use items destined for Israel. However, it did approve two licences related to components for the Iron Dome missile defence system. Veldkamp said Israel's ambassador to the Netherlands would be summoned for urgent discussions. 'We will ask him to urge [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu's government to change course,' he stated. 'The current situation is intolerable and morally bankrupt.' On Monday, Middle East Eye reported that Netherlands has named Israel as a foreign threat to the country's national security for the first time, citing disinformation campaigns endangering the lives of Dutch citizens. A report published by the National Coordinator for Security and Counter-terrorism (NCTV) says that Israel attempted to influence public opinion and politics in the country by circulating documents directly to Dutch journalists and politicians instead of using the official diplomatic channels. Deepening tensions between Netherlands and Israel The diplomatic row escalated further on Monday after Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof warned of potential European Union sanctions against Israel over its conduct in Gaza. In a strongly worded social media post, Schoof said he had convened an emergency meeting with senior ministers to address what he described as the 'catastrophic' conditions in the besieged enclave. Dutch intelligence report identifies Israel as a foreign threat for first time Read More » "The people of Gaza must be given immediate, unfettered, safe access to humanitarian aid. If the EU decides tomorrow that Israel is not in compliance with the relevant agreements on this, the Netherlands supports the plan to suspend Israeli participation in the EU research programme Horizon," said Schoof. He added that additional measures, potentially affecting trade, might also be considered. Israeli President Isaac Herzog responded angrily, accusing Schoof of misrepresenting the tone and content of their recent phone call. 'Sorry, Prime Minister, with all due respect this tweet does not reflect the spirit or the details of our phone call,' Herzog posted. 'Nor does it reflect my crystal-clear position: it will be a huge mistake if the EU takes such steps, especially in light of Israel's ongoing and upgraded humanitarian efforts.' The Netherlands becomes the seventh country to sanction Ben Gvir and Smotrich, joining the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and Slovenia.


The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Activist featured in Oscar-winning film shot dead by Israeli settler
A Palestinian activist featured in the Oscar-winning film "No Other Land" was killed by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank, local authorities and journalists said. The Palestinian Authority's education ministry said Odeh Hadalin "was shot dead by settlers... during their attack on the village of Umm al-Khair" near Hebron, in the south of the occupied territory. Hadalin was an activist from Masafer Yatta, a string of hamlets located on the hills south of Hebron, which have been declared a military zone by Israel. His and other activists' efforts to prevent Israeli forces and settlers from destroying their homes was the subject of "No Other Land", which won Best Documentary at the Oscars in March. Its Israeli co-director, Yuval Abraham, posted a video on X showing a man with a gun in his hand arguing with a group of people, while shouts can be heard in Hebrew and Arabic. "An Israeli settler just shot Odeh Hadalin in the lungs," he wrote in the caption. "Residents identified Yinon Levi, sanctioned by the EU and US, as the shooter," he added. Israeli media outlets also identified the shooter as Yinon Levi, an extremist settler who the US, under the Biden administration, had placed sanctions on. The measures were then lifted by US President Donald Trump. 'My dear friend Awdah was slaughtered this evening,' Palestinian journalist Basel Adra wrote on social media. 'He was standing in front of the community centre in his village when a settler fired a bullet that pierced his chest and took his life,' he said. 'This is how Israel erases us — one life at a time.' Mr Abraham and Mr Adra shared director credits, along with Hamdan Ballal, for the award-winning film. The Israeli police earlier said it was investigating an "incident near Carmel," a settlement neighbouring Umm Al Khair. "An Israeli citizen was detained at the scene and then arrested by police for questioning," a police statement said. Israeli soldiers also arrested four Palestinians 'in connection with the incident, along with two foreign tourists who were at the scene', the police said. 'Following the incident, the death of a Palestinian was confirmed; his exact involvement in the incident is being verified,' the police added. Palestinian Wafa news agency also reported that a second Palestinian was injured in the attack after being beaten by a settler. About three million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank alongside nearly half a million Israelis living in settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. Hadalin's death comes as prominent Israeli human rights groups released a report on Monday accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The two groups, B'tselem and Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI), also condemned Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank. Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the occupied territory since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023, according to Wafa. At least 36 Israelis, including civilians and soldiers, have been killed there in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to official Israeli data.


The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Israeli human rights groups allege genocide in Gaza for first time
For the first time, two of Israel 's leading human rights groups said that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as they urged foreign powers to use 'every means available' to stop it. The two groups, B'tselem and Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI), presented their findings in East Jerusalem on Monday, saying that Israel is 'working to destroy Palestinian society in Gaza'. PHRI said it documented evidence that the military is undertaking a 'deliberate and systematic destruction of Gaza's healthcare system', among other accusations, including the deliberate targeting of civilians. Many Palestinians and international organisations have said Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, but the addition of two Israeli groups is likely to add pressure on Israel as global condemnation mounts over its conduct during almost 22 months of war. For decades both organisations have been among the most trusted sources of human rights information in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. 'An examination of Israel's policy in the Gaza Strip and its horrific outcomes, together with statements by senior Israeli politicians and military commanders about the goals of the attack, leads us to the unequivocal conclusion that Israel is taking co-ordinated action to intentionally destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip,' said B'tselem's report. Both groups slammed the international community for allowing Israel's leadership to continue its actions in Gaza. They argued that Israel's backers are complicit in genocide 'whether through active support or inaction'. PHRI director Guy Shalev said that 'every tool in the toolbox should be used' to stop Israel. 'This is not what we think, this is what the genocide convention calls for'. B'tselem's report strongly condemns the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel but says Israel's subsequent 'genocidal attack … must be understood in the context of more than 70 years in which Israel has imposed a violent and discriminatory regime on the Palestinians'. The organisation added that Israel's impunity in Gaza was endangering other Palestinian territories. 'We warn of the clear and present danger that the genocide will not remain confined to the Gaza Strip, and that the actions and underlying mindset driving it may be extended to other areas as well.'