SOS Children’s Villages Palestine continues to provide services to children, families and youth in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, in line with its humanitarian mission to protect children, support families, and strengthen their capacity for providing a safe and stable environment for children.

Since the beginning of the escalation, the organization has been directing available resources towards strengthening its emergency response to the needs of children and families in the Gaza Strip. This includes mental health and psychosocial support, education, temporary care for  unaccompanied and separated children, and assistance in accessing basic livelihoods. In parallel, the organization has adapted and expanded its interventions in the West Bank in response to emerging needs within the current crisis context.

The National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Palestine, Mrs. Ghada Hirzallah, stated: “We continue to work alongside children, families and youth in the Gaza Strip, as we do across Palestine, placing their needs and best interests at the heart of our work. Amid the challenging humanitarian conditions, we are working to maintain the continuity of essential services and adapt our interventions in line with needs and available resources, while remaining fully committed to humanitarian standards and the principles of neutrality, independence and non-discrimination.”

Continued Care for Children Without Parental Care

SOS Children’s Villages continues to provide alternative care services to 110 children at SOS Children’s Village Bethlehem, including the 68 children evacuated from the Gaza Strip in March 2024. The organization continues to provide the care and support they need, taking into consideration their best interests, individual needs and privacy.

The organization handles information concerning the children and families it cares for or supports with a high level of responsibility, in accordance with its child safeguarding and privacy policies. Accordingly, no personal information or private details concerning them are published or shared except within the approved frameworks and policies and where this serves their best interests.

Clear Standards for the Provision of Services and Assistance

SOS Children’s Villages Palestine continues to implement its humanitarian interventions in the Gaza Strip based on needs assessments and humanitarian priorities, using clear and objective criteria and mechanisms for identifying families and individuals who are eligible to receive support.

This approach aims to ensure that available resources are directed towards those most in need and to reach the greatest possible number of children and families, while adhering to the humanitarian standards and principles established within the relevant humanitarian sectors and clusters in which the organization is a member.

With regard to cash assistance and other forms of support, the organization applies mechanisms and criteria based on levels of need and priority, in accordance with relevant international humanitarian standards developed by the humanitarian clusters within the United Nations system. This is intended to ensure that assistance is provided fairly, responsibly and transparently.

In addition, SOS Children’s Villages Palestine works to promote the integration of children within their families and communities whenever this is possible and safe, in line with the United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children. This approach is based on the understanding that growing up in a stable and supportive family environment, while maintaining family and social connections, is an important foundation for a child’s long-term development.

The organization confirms that the provision of any service or assistance is based on need and the best interests of children, families and youth, without discrimination or political considerations.

Commitment to Neutrality and Independence

SOS Children’s Villages Palestine is an independent, non-governmental and non-political humanitarian organization. Its work is guided by the principles of neutrality, independence and non-discrimination, and it adheres to a Code of Conduct and institutional policies that regulate the conduct of its employees and representatives.

Programs are implemented, resources are managed, and decisions concerning humanitarian interventions are made through the organization’s official and approved structures and channels, ensuring professionalism, transparency, accountability and independence in its work.

All resources allocated to programs are managed in accordance with approved international financial and administrative frameworks and procedures and are directed towards supporting children, families and youth through the programs and interventions implemented by the organization.

Partnerships Are Essential to Sustaining Services

Amid growing humanitarian needs, SOS Children’s Villages Palestine recognizes the importance of sustained partnerships with supporters, humanitarian organizations, the private sector and donors. These partnerships contribute to enabling the organization to maintain its services and respond to the increasing needs of children and families.

The organization continues to work with its partners to ensure the sustainability of its services and strengthen its ability to reach children and families in need, while maintaining the independence of its decisions and its professional and humanitarian standards throughout all stages of its work.

Responsible Communication and Official Information

SOS Children’s Villages Palestine believes that responsible and accurate communication is an essential part of protecting children and building trust with communities, partners, donors and the media.

Accordingly, the organization is committed to sharing information about its programs and services through its official channels and ensuring that such information is accurate and up to date, while fully respecting the privacy of the children, families and youth it supports.

The organization encourages the public, partners and media outlets to refer to the official channels of SOS Children’s Villages Palestine for information concerning its work, programs and services.

In these circumstances, our mission remains clear: to ensure that every child, family and young person receives the care, protection and support they need, and to continue working alongside them in ways that uphold their dignity, rights and best interests.