Al-Khalili stated to ‘Sputnik’ that the plan considers the situation and focuses in its first phase on relief and urgent response. This includes various measures primarily aimed at protecting women’s lives and meeting their basic needs for shelter, food, health, education, psychological support, and providing legal and psychological assistance to women who have experienced violence or loss.
She explained that there are over 20,000 widowed women who must be seriously considered to help them continue living. It’s essential to create small projects and provide easy loans, as well as train them in income-generating projects.
She considered the plan executable, especially since the Council of Ministers, with its various ministries, primarily the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, has taken into account the condition of Palestinian women during and after the aggression. The emergency plan includes phases and timelines that contribute to rapid recovery, particularly for women.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced last Saturday that more than a million women and girls in the Gaza Strip face the threat of ‘mass starvation’ due to the ongoing Israeli blockade and war on the region since October 7, 2023. UNRWA called for the immediate lifting of the blockade on Gaza and the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid to alleviate escalating human suffering.
From October 7, 2023, until August 11 of this year, the war has resulted in the deaths of more than 61,000 Palestinians, with around 154,000 injured, according to Palestinian Health Ministry data. Military operations continue, and recently, approval was announced for a plan to fully occupy the region. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, continue to discuss claims of a ‘Greater Israel,’ a term implying the occupation of remaining Palestinian territories and other Arab lands.
