Palestinian Cabinet warns of worsening Gaza suffering as winter sets in
The Cabinet also approved a halal certification deal with Indonesia and funding agreements for the Palestinian Judicial Institute, aimed at boosting exports and justice reform.
Israeli restrictions on international aid groups in Gaza are deepening Palestinian suffering as winter approaches, the Palestinian Cabinet said on Tuesday during its weekly session in Ramallah, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa renewed his directives to government institutions to step up emergency response work, particularly in areas under attack, the Cabinet said.
The Cabinet said escalating Israeli limits on the operations of international humanitarian organizations in Gaza are reducing their ability to deliver relief to Palestinians.
Most people in Gaza are preparing to endure a fourth consecutive winter in dilapidated tents, the Cabinet said, as living conditions continue to worsen.
The Cabinet also warned of the implications of UN report findings on the continuing risk of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, citing Israel's declared plans to expand its control to about 70 percent of the Strip.
In the West Bank, attacks by Israeli forces and settlers have continued to escalate, with 683 attacks against Palestinians and their property recorded over the past week, the Cabinet said.
Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on Nov. 2, the Cabinet called for accountability for war crimes, including crimes against journalists.
Following a briefing from the Minister of Culture, the Cabinet said 260 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the war began, while hundreds more have been injured or detained.
The Cabinet also said 63 percent of media institutions in Gaza have been destroyed, with total losses reaching $131 million.
The Cabinet adopted recommendations from the Permanent Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem, made at its fifth meeting on Oct. 28, to strengthen the resilience of Palestinians in Jerusalem.
The National Economy Minister briefed the Cabinet on efforts to keep essential commodity supplies stable and prices steady, particularly under understandings reached with food-sector trade unions.
The Cabinet directed that the oncology department at Darwish Nazzal Governmental Hospital in Qalqilya be brought into operation as soon as possible to serve patients across the northern West Bank.
The Cabinet approved the organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to improve institutional efficiency.
It discussed at first reading the Alternative Care Strategy in Palestine for 2027 to 2029, which sets standards for children needing alternative care, the Cabinet said, with a focus on keeping families together and prioritizing kinship care.
The Cabinet approved two funding agreements for the Palestinian Judicial Institute, one with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and one grant from UN Women.
Finally, the Cabinet approved a mutual recognition agreement between the Palestinian Standards Institution and Indonesia's Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency on halal certificates, aimed at promoting Palestinian exports to international markets.
