Council of Ministers Warns of the Spread of Serious Diseases Among Displaced Persons in Gaza Strip

SadaNews: Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa opened the weekly council session today, Tuesday, informing the council members about the latest communications and efforts led by the president, government, and diplomatic corps to achieve justice for the Palestinian people, stop the crimes of the occupation and settler terrorism, and recover the withheld Palestinian funds, while also valuing the steadfastness of various sectors of the Palestinian people in the face of unprecedented conditions, especially among civil and military public employees.

In this regard, the Council of Ministers warned of the beginning of the spread of serious diseases among the displaced persons in the Gaza Strip due to the severe deterioration in health and environmental conditions, especially the catastrophic repercussions of water pollution and the destruction of sewage systems, resulting in a significant increase in the spread of rodents and mosquitoes due to the occupation preventing the entry of hygiene and health supplies, as well as the equipment needed to process the massive piles of waste and sewage scattered among the population centers and tents. The council called on the World Health Organization and other international bodies to bear their responsibilities and intervene immediately to secure the necessary medical and preventive supplies, ensuring the reduction and prevention of epidemics.

The council also condemned the decision of the occupation government to implement new colonial road projects in the West Bank, considering it a blatant violation of international law and a consolidation of settlement expansion policies, as well as direct support for settler assaults. It clarified that the past month of April witnessed the documentation of more than 1600 assaults carried out by settlers and occupation forces, varying from physical assault, destruction of agricultural lands, burning crops, preventing access to lands, seizing properties, in addition to demolishing homes and establishments, in a systematic escalation aimed at undermining the components of Palestinian life.

In the same context, the Council of Ministers called on our people to further solidarity and to enhance the spirit of social responsibility to protect vulnerable groups, and to reject all forms of violence targeting women, children, and individuals with disabilities, such as the recent incident of a child killed by his father, while also praising the important step led by the Ministry of Women's Affairs and various partner entities through the launch of the National Observatory for Violence Against Women and Children, as an advanced step towards building a comprehensive and accurate understanding of various forms of violence, especially since it comes within a context where social and economic dimensions intertwine with the violence of the occupation and settler terrorism, as well as the establishment of processes for pressure, accountability, and international advocacy.

The Council was also briefed on the preparations of the Ministry of Awqaf and its final arrangements for the pilgrimage season, with the approaching departure of pilgrims to the sacred homeland.
 
In addition, the council approved the exemption of unemployed Green Line workers from health insurance fees from October 2023 until the end of June 2026, by transferring their insurances to a supported unemployment insurance, and inviting workers to rectify their situations by the end of the aforementioned period, through reviewing the Ministry of Labor centers for those who do not hold an unemployment certificate, and reviewing health insurance departments in health directorates across various governorates.

It also approved the recommendations of the Technical Committee for State Property Management in its 151st meeting, which included allocating land for the establishment of a health center, a cultural and sports club, a community center, a service complex, a cemetery, and an electricity transformer station in Talouza, and another in Assira al-Shamaliya. 

The council approved technical facilities to implement new employment programs in the Gaza Strip through the Ministry of Labor via the Palestinian Employment Fund.

On the occasion of the approaching anniversary of the Nakba, the Council of Ministers called for wide participation in the events to commemorate it, which will begin on May 12, affirming our people's and leadership's determination to continue on all fronts to restore our usurped rights.