JERUSALEM, November 10, 2026 (WAFA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday signed and exchanged an international agreement with the Government of Japan for a grant of JPY 294 million (approximately $1.97 million), to strengthen the ongoing health response in Gaza, according to the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine.
The signing ceremony took place in Ramallah between ARAIKE Katsuhiko, Ambassador for the Palestinian Affairs and the Representative of Japan to Palestine, and Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian Territory.
The grant comes as Gaza’s health system continues to face immense pressure due to shortages of health personnel, growing patient needs and increasing demand for specialized medical services. It will help strengthen the coordination of emergency medical teams while supporting a gradual transition towards a nationally led emergency health response.
A key component of the grant is the establishment of an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) coordination cell within the Ministry’s Emergency Operations Centre in Gaza City. Staffed by Ministry personnel with technical support from the World Health organization (WHO), the cell will oversee the registration, coordination, and deployment of incoming emergency medical teams, helping ensure that medical assistance is delivered in line with national priorities and established standards.
To strengthen this capacity, thirty health officials and partners will receive training in requesting, managing and coordinating EMTs. Standard operating procedures, a practical guidance, and data management systems will set out to support the registration of teams, track their medical activities and inform operational decisions and recovery planning.
The grant will further support the training and equipping of 100 national EMT staff, providing them with deployment kits and strengthening Gaza’s capacity to mobilize local medical teams and respond to future emergencies.
Beyond addressing immediate operational needs, the grant aims to establish a more sustainable, nationally coordinated emergency medical response system. Through the gradual transfer of EMT coordination responsibilities to the Ministry of Health (MoH), the grant will help ensure that future emergency responses are guided by national leadership, standards and health priorities.
“As profound challenges persist in Gaza, the needs of the Palestinian people extend beyond immediate humanitarian relief. They also require the restoration of essential infrastructure, the strengthening of public institutions, and the sustained provision of basic services that enable communities to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope,” ARAIKE, Ambassador for the Palestinian Affairs, stated.
He expressed hopes that this contribution, with the support of WHO, will make a meaningful difference in improving access to essential health services for Palestinians and alleviating the challenges they face in their daily lives.
“Since 2023, medical teams have helped keep Gaza’s health system standing. This project makes sure that strength stays in Gaza. By building the Ministry of Health’s capacity to coordinate and deploy emergency medical teams, we are helping ensure that future emergencies are met by a response that is nationally led, well organized and trusted,” Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, said.
She extended her gratitude to the Government of Japan and the people of Japan for making this possible.
K.F.
