tag

The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law (NCIHL) discussed avenues for enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest and developing mechanisms for coordination and integration between both sides.This came during a meeting hosted by the NHRC at its headquarters in Doha, attended by a delegation from the NCIHL, led by its Vice-Chairman Faisal Mohammed Al Emadi, along with several officials from both entities.The meeting discussed the interrelation between international humanitarian law and human rights approaches, in addition to highlighting the efforts of the NHRC in this field, particularly concerning human rights in armed conflicts and support for vulnerable and marginalised groups.Both sides agreed to sign a joint cooperation agreement following a study of shared priorities and annual projects that could be implemented, contributing to the development of coordination mechanisms.They also agreed to form a joint technical team to draft the agreement, which will result in a clear executive agenda for implementing activities and events related to the protection and promotion of human rights.

Kuwait will host next Wednesday the first Gulf Red Crescent Conference on Artificial Intelligence, marking a pioneering step toward establishing a unified Gulf vision for leveraging AI in humanitarian work and regional cooperation. The two-day conference, held in collaboration with the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), will take place under the theme: "Towards New Horizons in Humanitarian Work and Development Media — Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence." The event also coincides with Gulf Red Crescent Day, observed annually on October 23, and will feature a distinguished lineup of experts and specialists from GCC countries and beyond, alongside representatives from international humanitarian organizations. The conference aims to explore the potential of AI in enhancing humanitarian and relief programs. It will include a series of main sessions addressing diverse topics, notably the use of AI in collecting and analyzing humanitarian data, early warning and rapid response systems, data challenges in humanitarian operations, as well as ethical and legal dimensions of applying these technologies in relief environments. Sessions will also examine the deployment of AI in relief work, showcase experiences from national Gulf associations in this field, and highlight initiatives that utilize these technologies in health, environmental, and social awareness campaigns. In addition, the conference will feature the launch of a Gulf digital initiative and host a Gulf workshop to train media personnel in humanitarian and relief work. The workshop will cover topics such as humanitarian reporting during crises, field coverage skills, and a training session on producing impactful digital humanitarian content and documentation.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) spokesperson Adnan Abu Hasna said that UNRWA has been unable to bring in any of the humanitarian supplies allocated to the Gaza Strip, despite the ceasefire coming into effect days before. Abu Hasna stressed that UNRWA is the backbone of humanitarian work within the Gaza Strip and must lead the response there. He added that excluding UNRWA from humanitarian efforts in Gaza means the collapse of this process, as well as people's lack of trust in it. He explained that UNRWA employees continue to carry out their work despite the difficulties, but they have been prevented by the Israeli occupation from distributing food aid. Until now, Israel has not allowed UNRWA to bring in food and non-food aid, which is contained in 6,000 trucks waiting at the gates of the Gaza Strip. These trucks contain food supplies sufficient for the residents of the Gaza Strip for three months, he added. UNRWA also has hundreds of thousands of blankets, tents and clothes, as well as large quantities of medicine, Abu Hasna added. He stressed that these items must enter so that the agency can truly confront the harsh and dangerous conditions in the Strip, which are still deteriorating now. The war has stopped, the shooting has stopped, but unfortunately there are new aspects to this war, which is the continuation of the suffering, Abu Hasna stressed.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Wednesday that Israel should immediately open crossings into Gaza for humanitarian aid as part of a ceasefire agreement."We've been calling for unhindered access," Fletcher said in an interview in Cairo, adding that "it should happen now. We want it to happen immediately as part of this agreement", referring to the deal between Israel and Hamas.US President Donald Trump and regional leaders on Monday signed a declaration in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to cement the deal."But the test of this agreement is not the photos and the press conferences and the interviews. The test is that we have children fed, that we have anaesthetics in the hospitals for people getting treatment, that we have tents over people's heads," Fletcher said.The war sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel led to a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with the densely-populated territory reliant on aid that was heavily restricted by Israel, when not cut off outright.At the end of August, the United Nations declared a famine in Gaza, though Israel rejected the declaration.The return of aid is listed in Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza.Fletcher called for all crossings to be opened, and said that in Sharm el-Sheikh, Trump and other world leaders "were unequivocal that we must be allowed to deliver aid at massive scale".On Thursday, Fletcher is to go to the lifeline Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt to see preparations there.The crossing remained shut on Wednesday despite reports that it could reopen to aid convoys, as Israel insisted Hamas hand over the remains of the last deceased hostages it holds."I don't know at this stage whether the crossing will open for sure," Fletcher said, adding that teams were also "working to clear the road on the other side".Fletcher said what had aid had entered so far was "a fraction of what's needed", with just "tens of trucks on a good day rather than the hundreds of trucks" required."There's a sense of complete urgency to this," Fletcher said."We are determined to get in there, stop the starvation, rebuild the health sector, clear the rubble and start to give people hope of a better life."

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Ukraine confirmed that a humanitarian convoy operated by the international organization came under attack by Russian drones while delivering aid to a frontline area in southern Ukraine. Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, strongly condemned the incident, saying that two World Food Programme (WFP) trucks were damaged after being struck by drones. He added that no casualties were reported among humanitarian personnel. Schmale emphasized that attacks targeting humanitarian operations represent a grave breach of international humanitarian law and could constitute war crimes, reiterating the need to ensure the safety of aid workers and civilians in conflict zones. He further noted that since the start of the conflict, humanitarian convoys have repeatedly encountered security risks while attempting to deliver vital assistance to areas near the frontlines.

Her Excellency Dr. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation, met today with Walid Fahmy Al Faqi, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the State of Qatar.During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the field of delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said that it is time to allow widespread humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip. Lazzarini said via X platform that the exchange of prisoners and detainees, as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, "sheds some light of hope after more than 2 years of total darkness." "It is time to build a future of peace through healing, justice and mutual recognition. Time to let in humanitarian aid at scale, including through UNRWA," he added.

Jordan has welcomed the agreement reached to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, along with the mechanisms for implementing the first phase, which aim to end the war, facilitate a prisoner exchange, ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip, and allow for the entry of humanitarian aid. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi praised the significant efforts made by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, and the United States to help broker the agreement. He also expressed appreciation for the contributions of the Republic of Turkey. Safadi stressed the importance of fully adhering to and implementing the terms of the agreement to end the war and address the catastrophic consequences of the aggression. He also commended US President Donald Trump for his pivotal role in finalizing the agreement, including his proposal to end the war, rebuild Gaza, prevent the displacement of the Palestinian people, and advance a comprehensive peace process. Safadi further welcomed President Trump's announcement that the US would oppose the annexation of the West Bank. The Jordanian foreign minister emphasized the urgent need for coordinated efforts to ensure the immediate and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to end the famine facing Gaza. Safadi reaffirmed that Jordan will continue to work alongside its Arab and international partners to achieve a just and comprehensive peace—one that includes an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Earlier today, President Trump announced that Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) had signed the first phase of the peace plan, expressing gratitude to the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for their roles in the process.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed on Thursday the agreement on the first phase of the peace plan presented by US President Donald Trump.Modi expressed hope that the release of the hostages and increased humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza would bring much-needed relief, paving the way for lasting peace in the region.US President Donald Trump announced earlier today that Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) had signed the first phase of the peace plan. He expressed his thanks to the mediators from the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Republic of Turkiye.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of an agreement to cease the war on the Gaza Strip, withdraw Israeli occupation forces, allow the entry of humanitarian aid, and facilitate a prisoner exchange. President Abbas expressed hope that these efforts would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution, as announced by President Trump, leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also commended President Trump and all mediators for their significant efforts in reaching the agreement, affirming the State of Palestine's readiness to work with relevant mediators and international partners to ensure its success, in order to achieve stability and a lasting and just peace in accordance with international law. President Abbas stressed the need for all parties to commit to the immediate implementation of the agreement, including the release of all hostages and prisoners, the entry of urgent humanitarian aid through United Nations organizations, the prevention of displacement or annexation, and the commencement of the reconstruction process. He reiterated that sovereignty over the Gaza Strip belongs to the State of Palestine, and that the connection between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip must be achieved through Palestinian laws and government institutions, through a unified Palestinian administrative committee and Palestinian security forces, within the framework of a single system and law, and with Arab and international support.

The Muslim World League (MWL) has welcomed the response of the Hamas movement to the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to end the war on the Gaza Strip. In a statement, MWL has expressed its hope that this plan, along with its accompanying commitments and subsequent positive steps, would contribute to an immediate end to the war, halt the displacement and annexation schemes, and put an end to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Strip, paving the way for the establishment of a lasting, comprehensive, and just peace based on the two-state solution.

Her Excellency Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi at the Permanent Mission's headquarters in New York. During the meeting, aspects of cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees were reviewed. The two sides also discussed ways to enhance joint efforts to alleviate the suffering of refugees and displaced persons around the world through the provision of humanitarian and relief assistance.