Gaza: The Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions in the Gaza Strip reviewed the executive plan for relief and early recovery for the social development sector in Gaza on Monday. This session saw participation from representatives of UN agencies, international organizations, and national partners.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Minister of Social Development Samah Hamad stressed the immense pressure on Gaza's social protection system due to escalating humanitarian needs. She pointed out that the Social Registry currently lists over 320,000 families, yet only 41% of the aid promised under the ceasefire framework is reaching the Strip, thereby increasing the disparity between needs and resources. Hamad reiterated the Ministry's essential role in safeguarding vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and impoverished families.
The Minister recounted the Ministry's services before the aggression, including cash and food assistance, health insurance, protection programs for women and children, care for the disabled and elderly, and orphan sponsorships. These services benefited 84,000 families through cash transfers, provided health insurance for 45,000 individuals, and supported 37,000 orphans. Additionally, nearly 300 economic empowerment projects were launched in 2023.
Despite challenging conditions during the aggression, the Ministry managed extensive humanitarian interventions. Over 775,560 beneficiaries received cash assistance, more than 250,000 relief items were distributed, 2,000 new orphan sponsorships were registered, and 110,360 services were provided to women survivors of violence, along with psychosocial and protection support in shelters.
During the meeting, a comprehensive three-phase relief and recovery plan was presented. The initial phase targets urgent relief needs through food assistance, emergency cash support, shelter aid, non-food items, child protection services, psychosocial support, and restoration of essential social services.
The early recovery phase focuses on empowering affected families, expanding social protection programs, rehabilitating service centers, and operationalizing case management and the Unified Aid Portal. The reconstruction phase aims to rebuild social protection facilities, establish a resilient and sustainable social safety system, and enhance social service infrastructure across Gaza.
The Ministry also explained the extent of damage and needs, highlighting that the aggression led to widespread destruction in the social sector. All but three of the eight social service centers in Gaza were rendered out of service, with the remaining three suffering partial but significant damage.
Digital tools played a crucial role in the Ministry's response, including a mini form that recorded more than 385,000 affected families by the end of October 2025. The national orphan database 'Sponsor an Orphan' and the Unified Service Provider Portal were instrumental in managing referrals, follow-up, and preventing aid duplication.
The Ministry estimated the total cost of the plan's implementation at USD 3.725 billion, which encompasses cash transfers, urgent relief, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation of damaged social protection facilities.
