Ministry of Social Development in Gaza: On October 1 of every year, the world celebrates the International Day of Older Persons, reaffirming the importance of appreciating their contributions, promoting their rights and dignity, and ensuring their effective participation in various aspects of life.
Ministry of Social Development in Gaza:
▪ On October 1 of every year, the world celebrates the International Day of Older Persons, reaffirming the importance of appreciating their contributions, promoting their rights and dignity, and ensuring their effective participation in various aspects of life.
▪ Older persons in the Gaza Strip are living through extremely difficult humanitarian, psychological, and economic conditions amid the continuation of the war and its catastrophic effects, as they are among the most vulnerable groups affected by the collapse of the health care system, repeated displacement, and psychological distress resulting from loss and the breakdown of social bonds.
▪ Marking the International Day of Older Persons in Gaza should not be limited to words, but should be a call to action to protect their dignity and provide them with the necessary care and protection, especially in times of crisis.
▪ Older persons in the Gaza Strip make up about 5% (approximately 118,552 older persons), including 4,412 martyrs (killed) and 18,644 wounded, with 48,830 older persons inside shelter centers compared with 67,443 outside them.
▪ We affirm our commitment to continuing to care for older persons and protect them from neglect and isolation, and to strengthening their status in society despite the difficult conditions and limited capabilities.
▪ We affirm their inherent right to live in safety and dignity, and to provide a supportive environment that meets their appropriate health, psychological, and social needs in line with their specific conditions.
▪ We call for urgent protection for older persons whose lives face direct dangers as a result of the ongoing shelling and escalation on the Strip.
▪ We call on international, humanitarian, and health organizations to assume their responsibilities and intervene quickly to provide treatment and vital medicines, especially for those suffering from chronic diseases.
▪ We call for the provision of sustainable humanitarian mechanisms to care for them and secure their basic needs inside and outside shelter centers in a manner that suits their physical and psychological conditions.
▪ We renew our commitment to working to safeguard their dignity and rights, and to ensure they receive support to strengthen their resilience in the face of harsh conditions and preserve their social role.
▪ Every year, may older persons in Palestine, and in the Gaza Strip in particular, be well, safe, and dignified.
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