Abu Dhabi:  UAE's Red Crescent Authority (RCA) yesterday hosted a quadrilateral agreement to step up relief efforts in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to help the Palestinian people.

Apart from the RCA, the World Food Programme, UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) and the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation participated in the discussions

They focused on an agreement to activate a coordination mechanism and cooperation among them to provide better humanitarian services for the Palestinians.

Humanitarian operations, especially in the areas of health care and nutrition to reduce the impact of human suffering there as well as coordination of field programmes were streamlined at the discussions.

They also agreed to strengthen the partnership among them and exchange information and experience to overcome the logistical challenges in the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the beneficiaries in the Palestinian lands.

Ahmad Humaid Al Mazroui, Board Chairman of the RCA, Taher Noor, Deputy Director-General of the World Food Programme in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Ahmad Mohammad Amyan, Secretary General of the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation and John L.T, Deputy Director of OCHA Regional Office for the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia participated in the talks and the subsequent agreement.

The participants confirmed the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Palestine which included acute shortages of food, medicine and other basic daily needs.