Palestinian Delegation Discusses Strengthening Humanitarian Cooperation with WWHO in Istanbul

Mr. Azmi Abu Ghazaleh, First Counsellor and Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of the State of Palestine in the Republic of Türkiye, met with Hamed Abu Shawish, Executive Director of the Worldwide Humanitarian Organization (WWHO), to discuss opportunities to strengthen humanitarian cooperation and address priority needs in Palestine during a visit to the organization’s headquarters in Istanbul.

The meeting, attended by members of the WWHO team, covered a number of humanitarian areas, including support and empowerment for women and children, health and nutrition, as well as mechanisms for coordinating efforts with the Embassy of the State of Palestine and relevant authorities to ensure that humanitarian initiatives are aligned with priorities and needs across Palestinian communities.

Mr. Abu Ghazaleh noted that the meeting included constructive discussions and ideas focused on supporting the Palestinian people, with particular attention to Jerusalem and the West Bank. He also highlighted the importance of developing an action plan aligned with WWHO’s areas of expertise.

The meeting also explored opportunities to advance cooperation between WWHO and Palestinian stakeholders, including the possibility of holding further meetings to discuss the organization’s planned work and its branch in Palestine, raise awareness of humanitarian needs, and explore opportunities for cooperation with organizations and institutions supporting humanitarian action in Türkiye.

For his part, WWHO Executive Director Hamed Abu Shawish emphasized the importance of continued coordination with the Embassy of the State of Palestine and relevant authorities to ensure that humanitarian efforts are directed toward identified priorities, while promoting transparency, coordination, and complementarity in project implementation.

The meeting also addressed the role of WWHO’s branch in Palestine and its capacity to support the implementation of humanitarian and development initiatives in various areas, in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The two sides agreed to maintain communication and explore next steps and potential areas of cooperation that could contribute to strengthening the humanitarian response and supporting Palestinian communities.