Qatar has been at the forefront of supporting the people of Palestine, who have been living under the difficult conditions under Israeli occupation of West Bank territories and in the Gaza strip, which has been under a crippling air, sea and land blockade for over a decade now. In a new initiative, Qatar Fund for Development has signed two agreements with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Under the agreements, QFFD will provide a total of $25m to support the overall activities of the UN agency, and for the welfare of Palestinian refugees in Syria.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini in Doha on Tuesday, where they discussed the cooperation between the State of Qatar and the UN agency. The UN official thanked Qatar for its “immense solidarity to Palestine refugees and to UNRWA”. He said the new agreements with Qatar will help alleviate hardships faced by Palestinian refugees.
The agreement will contribute to ensuring that UNRWA continues to provide its services and enhance its role in improving the conditions of the Palestinian people in Palestine and in the host countries. Under the agreement, QFFD will support provision of healthcare, education and economic development to Palestinian refugees in Syria. The aid will reach more than 0.35 million Palestinian refugees in Syria. The agreement will also provide cash assistance to around 52,000 Palestinian refugees affected by the conflict in Syria for a year. It will also support provision of healthcare, basic education as well as technical and vocational training to Palestinian refugees in Syria.
The State of Qatar and various Qatari institutions have implemented a number of initiatives for the support and relief for those in need in Palestine. Qatar’s Committee for Reconstruction of Gaza has been distributing cash assistance to tens of thousands of needy families in the Gaza strip. The cash aid distribution process is taking place through the United Nations, through more than 300 distribution centres and shops in the governorates of the Gaza Strip.
Qatar has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza since 2014.
The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has also implemented a number of initiatives to provide and improve healthcare facilities in Palestine. Under a new agreement, QRCS is providing medicines to cancer patients in the Gaza strip to alleviate their suffering, in light of the continuing medicines shortage due to the siege and closure of crossings.
