Ramallah - Prime Minister's Office - The Council of Ministers condemned the intensifying attacks by Israeli occupation forces and settlers on several Palestinian towns, villages, and refugee camps across the occupied West Bank, including the recent killing and injuries of several Palestinians in the towns of Qabatiya and Tammun following Israeli incursions, as well as attacks on Palestinian olive pickers, coupled with ongoing Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes in Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa opened the weekly Cabinet session on Tuesday by highlighting international efforts and engagements by President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian diplomacy aimed at halting Israel’s ongoing genocidal war against the Palestinian people in the war-torn Gaza Strip, and the rise in killing and starvation, particularly in the besieged northern Gaza, where Israel is imposing a tight blockade. The Council reiterated its call for the international community to pressure Israel to stop its genocide in Gaza, as well as to facilitate the resumption of humanitarian and relief efforts, ensuring adequate, rapid and unimpeded aid shipment passage into the Strip, where dire conditions are rapidly worsening.

Despite stockpiles of aid accumulating in the warehouses of the Ministry of Social Development in the West Bank, as Israeli restrictions continue to prevent their transfer, the Government continues to prepare relief aid shipments, in coordination with various partners, for Gaza once international efforts secure safe passage. Over 150 aid trucks are stalled on the Jordanian side, awaiting entry into Gaza, while around 5,000 others have been stuck on the border with Egypt since the Rafah Border Crossing was closed several months ago, leading to spoilage of critical supplies.

Prime Minister Mustafa further highlighted ongoing Palestinian diplomatic efforts at the United Nations and other international bodies, seeking to counter Israeli actions against UNRWA. He emphasized UNRWA’s irreplaceable and indispensable role in supporting Palestinian refugees, stressing its historical significance in relation to the tragedy of Palestinian refugees, underscoring its crucial role as a lifeline for them and for safeguarding the Palestinian people’s historic rights.

In other developments, the Council discussed the ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to expand e-learning for students in Gaza, where approximately 220,000 students are now enrolled, facilitated by 5,000 teachers from the West Bank. Preparations are also underway to hold a special high school examination for over 35,000 students in the Strip.

The Council also discussed the Ministry of Health’s efforts, in cooperation with WHO, UNICEF, and UNRWA, regarding the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza in its second round. Over 550,000 children have been vaccinated, covering 94% of the target group, with the campaign extended to ensure full coverage.

Additionally, the Council approved a series of decisions, including a land settlement order in al-Araqa village in northern West Bank governorate of Jenin to protect Palestinian-owned lands from further Israeli confiscation. Other decisions included reconstituting the Board of Directors of the Palestinian Standards Institution and approving bids for food supplies for Ministry of Social Development shelter centers.