We must overcome challenges facing humanitarian help to Gazans, says Sultan Bin Ahmed

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Humanitarian Envoy of The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), emphasised the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address the escalating humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians, particularly in Gaza.

His Highness called for implementing sustainable development projects in health, education, and food security to provide essential life resources for Palestinian communities. The Deputy Ruler appealed to individuals and institutions to participate in these efforts, emphasising the moral responsibility to support displaced refugees and those impacted by conflict.

This came during a visit to Marka refugee camp in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which is home to over 70,000 Palestinian refugees.

His Highness led a delegation from Sharjah comprising representatives from TBHF, government entities, and private sector companies from the UAE.

The visit aimed to evaluate effective models of sustainable humanitarian initiatives, particularly in health, education, and food security.

The visit aimed to evaluate effective models of sustainable humanitarian initiatives, particularly in health, education, and food security, and to mobilise support and resources for implementing similar efforts in Gaza and countries hosting Palestinian refugees.

The visit aligns with the ongoing ‘For Gaza’ campaign, launched by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of TBHF, during Ramadan to provide comprehensive support for more than 20,000 orphaned children in Gaza, safeguarding their rights to education, healthcare, nutrition, and shelter.

Exceptional efforts

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed said: “The Palestinian people have endured decades of displacement and now face severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza as a result of the ongoing war, which has dismantled their social and institutional structures and deprived them of basic human rights, including access to education and healthcare.

Sultan Bin Ahmed during his tour of a classroom.

Therefore, our humanitarian efforts must go beyond immediate relief to include sustainable projects that support current and future generations through health and education. Health represents the foundation of active and thriving communities, while education protects future generations from the long-term consequences of tragic events, even if conditions eventually improve.”

“The current realities challenge the humanitarian system’s ability to fulfil its duties under difficult circumstances. Our mission is to exert every effort, together with all compassionate individuals worldwide, to ensure the system continues to carry out its responsibilities.

Humanitarian work is a religious and moral obligation, and a right of the vulnerable and the needy, which we are all duty-bound to uphold,” His Highness concluded.

Meetings with UNRWA and student parliament

The programme included a visit to the Marka Girls' Preparatory School, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed met with a delegation that included Natalie Boucly, Deputy Commissioner-General; Olaf Becker, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan; and Rafiq Khirfan, Director-General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs at the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sultan Bin Ahmed during his visit to Marka refugee camp in Jordan.

Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation and partnerships to advance humanitarian efforts supporting Palestinians in Gaza and refugees in Jordan, particularly in the areas of health, education, and community development.

His Highness also met with members of the student parliament from Marka Camp, which is referred to as Hitteen Camp by the Government of Jordan.

The students shared their educational experiences and the challenges they face. His Highness toured classrooms, engaged with teaching staff, and reviewed the school’s development plans and the camp’s future educational requirements.

Food security

The delegation visited a food security project led by the humanitarian organisation ANERA, which supports refugees and the conflict-affected population in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The initiative empowers refugee communities to produce food through farms and greenhouses, enabling year-round agricultural output.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed with dignitaries at the event.

This model aligns with TBHF’s sustainable development objectives in Gaza, aiming to strengthen self-reliance among refugees and lessen dependence on external assistance. Food scarcity is regarded as one of the fastest-escalating humanitarian crises, with immediate and profound impacts on communities during periods of conflict, instability, or natural disasters.

Strategic humanitarian collaboration

His Highness also met with representatives of Palestine’s Tawoon Foundation, TBHF’s partner in the "For Gaza" campaign. The meeting focused on ongoing humanitarian efforts for Palestinian refugees in Jordan, and displaced individuals in Gaza and the West Bank, including strategies for rapid response to essential needs and plans to provide critical services across key sectors.

The Tawoon Board of Directors briefed His Highness and the accompanying delegation on the Noor programme for orphan care, launched by the association in the Gaza Strip, where the number of children orphaned by the war has exceeded 39,000.

The delegation also heard a series of recorded and live contributions from programme staff based in Gaza and Egypt.

The visit concluded with a debriefing session involving the accompanying delegation to review the outcomes and examine best practices in humanitarian work within Jordan’s refugee camps. The discussion also addressed how these models could be adapted and applied to support refugees and displaced persons within the occupied Palestinian territories.

His Highness underscored the importance of developing humanitarian programmes and initiatives that respond effectively to the unprecedented challenges facing the region.

Sharjah delegation

The accompanying delegation included Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations in Sharjah and co-founder of Seafood Souq; Sheikh Sultan Bin Saud Al Qasimi, Founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation; Major General Abdullah Mubarak Bin Amir, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police; Badr Jafar, Advisory Board Member of TBHF and Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister for Business and Philanthropy; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansoori, Director General of the Office of His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Secretary-General of the Sharjah Media Council; Mariam Al Hammadi, Advisory Board Member of TBHF and Director General of NAMA Women Advancement; Alya Obaid Al Musaiebi, Director of TBHF; and Rashed Al Obad, Managing Director of Sharjah Media City.

Also participating were Abdulla Matar Al Mannaei, Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates Auction; Nikhil R. Kilachand, Chairman and President of Dodsal Group; Ali Al Khayyal, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Sharjah Charity House; Rasha Al Mubarak, humanitarian advocate and Chairwoman of Naiy Production House; Adi Al Fardan, Founder of Adi Al Fardan Jewellery; Samer Sayegh, Managing Director and Partner at National Paints Factories Co. Ltd.; Ahmed Bin Suleiman, Director of Government Affairs and Special Projects at Burjeel Holdings; Gurubasu Katageri, Senior Manager of ESG Practices at Arada Real Estate Development; and Melissa Bayik, Senior Creative Director at Arada Real Estate Development.

TBHF is one of the leading global humanitarian organisations that continues to deliver support and relief campaigns for the Palestinian people in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and refugee camps in host countries through a wide range of development projects across several vital sectors.