Cabinet warns of continuing humanitarian catastrophe as war on Gaza enters third year

RAMALLAH, September 29, 2026 (WAFA) - Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa announced on Tuesday the launch of 66 government interventions to support targeted areas, including financial assistance, in response to urgent and essential needs raised by local councils and citizens during ministerial visits to various targeted areas to assess their needs and strengthen their steadfastness.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to intensify field visits over the coming weeks in light of developments on the ground and the escalating attacks on Palestinian villages and towns.

In his opening remarks at the weekly Cabinet session held in Ramallah, Mustafa commended the steadfastness of our Palestinian people in confronting attacks by the Israeli occupation forces and colonial settler mobs.

He also praised the solidarity demonstrated by different segments of the Palestinian society, as well as the support provided by international partner institutions, foreign solidarity groups, civil society, and the private sector in supporting citizens and strengthening their ability to withstand this difficult phase.

According to a statement issued by the Government Communication Center, Mustafa also highlighted the assistance provided by the Government through the Ministry of Local Government, the Municipal Development and Lending Fund, and various partner institutions over the past two years, particularly the implementation of more than 1,661 projects and interventions at an estimated cost of approximately NIS 1.3 billion. These included infrastructure projects and emergency response actions covering various municipalities and village councils.

In another context, as the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip is soon to enter its fourth year, the Cabinet warned of the continued catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip amid ongoing bombardment, starvation, and siege, as well as the harsh living conditions these have created and the continuing malnutrition crisis, particularly among children and older persons.

In the same context, the Cabinet stressed the need to ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, including tents and tarpaulins, to displaced and affected families in the Gaza Strip free of charge, and to prevent their sale or commercial exploitation.

It expressed its rejection of the recurrence of such incidents, as well as other documented incidents aimed at preventing or obstructing government employees from carrying out their role in serving our people in the Strip.

The Cabinet also welcomed the positions supporting the Palestinian people expressed by the majority of countries from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly, which emphasized the need to end the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

It called for these positions to be consolidated and translated into effective and urgent international action to ensure the entry of humanitarian assistance, end the siege and starvation, and provide protection for civilians.

In addition, the Cabinet discussed, in its first reading, the Draft Decree-Law on General Amnesty, which, once enacted, would constitute the first general amnesty law in Palestine since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority.

The law defines the offenses covered by the amnesty, as well as the conditions for its application and its exceptions. It would terminate criminal proceedings pending before the courts for offenses covered by the law and reduce the number of pending criminal cases, without prejudice to the rights of affected parties to seek compensation or enforce civil judgments issued in their favor.

It further reviewed in first reading the draft regulation on the use of electric bicycles and scooters, stressing the importance of legally regulating this growing sector in a manner that ensures users meet the required eligibility criteria and provides suitable areas for parking and movement, in coordination with local authorities and various partner entities, while addressing the growing risks arising from misuse and other threats to public safety.

The Cabinet also adopted the recommendations of the National Team for Following Up on Missing and Disappeared Persons, defining the team’s mandate and scope of work given the importance of this issue and its impact on the lives of thousands of families.

T.R.