Uzbekistan launches program to support Palestinians displaced from Gaza

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — Uzbekistan has unveiled a wide-ranging support program for Palestinians displaced from Gaza, offering housing, healthcare, education, and financial assistance as part of a government-backed initiative to help families rebuild their lives.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the decree last week, creating a national commission to coordinate aid and adaptation measures for Palestinians granted temporary residency in the country. The commission will oversee housing, social services, and economic opportunities to ensure long-term support.

The program extends far beyond emergency relief. Palestinians have been provided with temporary housing, medical check-ups, and medications. Children are being admitted to schools and kindergartens without waiting lists, while their parents are exempted from fees until at least 2028. 

Education and extracurricular activities will be fully funded by the state. The Ministry of Higher Education has also pledged to recognize Palestinian diplomas and degrees within two months, without exams or fees.

Financial measures include monthly allowances for working-age individuals, rental compensation for families, and one-time settlement grants for essential goods. 

Palestinians seeking employment will receive vocational training and job placement assistance, while entrepreneurs will be eligible for concessional loans and government-backed small business programs. Each family will also be assigned a dedicated social worker.

Healthcare access has been expanded through registration with local family clinics, free services, and disability recognition for those with qualifying conditions. According to the decree, these provisions place Palestinians on the same footing as Uzbekistan’s most socially vulnerable citizens.

The initiative follows Uzbekistan’s evacuation of 100 wounded Palestinian women and children from Rafah in December 2024. They were transported to Tashkent with medical assistance and have since received treatment in hospitals and rehabilitation centers. 

Authorities say Palestinians will remain in Uzbekistan until conditions in Gaza allow their safe return.

By establishing a special fund financed through donations, international grants, and state resources, Uzbekistan has sought to ensure the program’s sustainability. Officials say the fund will be overseen by the newly formed national commission, with accountability resting on both the prime minister and presidential advisers.

The program positions Uzbekistan among the few Central Asian states extending structured, long-term assistance to Palestinians displaced by Israel’s war on Gaza. 

Analysts say the initiative underscores both Tashkent’s humanitarian role and its effort to project solidarity with Palestinians at a time when displacement from the enclave has reached catastrophic levels.