Day: February 19, 2026

Washington: Financial donations and contributions allocated to support the Gaza Strip have exceeded $7 billion, it was announced during the opening session of the Peace Council meeting held in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed documents outlining the financial pledges for Gaza alongside participating world leaders.

According to Jordan News Agency, Trump stated that the donations were provided by a number of countries, while other nations committed to deploying police forces to help stabilize the situation inside Gaza. Additional countries will undertake the task of training and supporting Palestinian police forces.

“Every dollar spent is an investment in stability and hope for a new and harmonious future. It is a very important and vital region,” Trump said during his opening remarks at the Peace Council meeting in Washington. He added that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will work to raise an additional $2 billion to support the territory.

Trump also noted that Norway will host a Peace Council event, while Japan will organize another fundraising event for countries in the region. Describing the occasion as one of the most important days of his professional career, Trump expressed his eagerness to work with world leaders in the coming years to advance peace efforts, praising the commitments made in support of Gaza.

Amman: Ministries of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and Social Development on Thursday launched the national donation platform “Oun-Help” in its trial phase. The step precedes the official start of donations on February 26, allowing citizens to donate through available digital payment methods.

According to Jordan News Agency, the new platform is a government digital portal dedicated to organizing and collecting donations for underprivileged Jordanian families. The platform operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Development and technical support from the Ministry of Digital Economy.

The service aims to enhance the efficiency of charitable work and ensure the delivery of aid to deserving people through an official and secure digital channel. The platform also provides a digital donation experience that allows individuals and companies to support beneficiary households any time using e-payment methods and digital wallets.

The statement said this effort streamlines the donation process and expands community participation, as the platform serves as a digital link between donors and officially licensed and registered charitable organizations and associations with the Ministry of Social Development nationwide. These entities are tasked with delivering donations to eligible families, while the platform’s role is limited to organizing, tracking, and monitoring the process electronically within a mechanism that ensures transparency and efficient delivery of support to needy people.

The two ministries invited individuals and companies wishing to donate to visit the platform via the link: https://oun.jo to learn about its services and the digital donation mechanism. The statement affirmed this step promotes a culture of organized and digital benefaction and reinforces the values of social solidarity using modern technology.

Gaza: Restrictions on humanitarian access have made the humanitarian situation in Gaza much worse, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced Thursday.

According to Jordan News Agency, UNRWA stressed in a statement posted on the social media site X that it is still working to provide displaced people with basic services including food aid, shelter, healthcare, education, and protection through its vast field presence and network.

UNRWA reaffirmed its demand for the removal of barriers to humanitarian access and underlined that the scope of the needs significantly outweighs what is presently being given.

Brussels: HRH Princess Rym Ali, President of the Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF), concluded a series of meetings in Brussels with institutional partners aimed at strengthening cooperation on intercultural dialogue, advancing youth participation, and sharpening alignment with shared regional priorities, particularly the people-to-people dimension of the Pact for the Mediterranean.

According to Jordan News Agency, the Brussels programme included the ALF’s 78th Board of Governors Meeting, a meeting with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, and additional exchanges with institutional counterparts to support upcoming regional initiatives in which the ALF is both leading and actively contributing. On 12 February 2026, the ALF held its 78th Board of Governors Meeting, a key moment to review progress, align priorities for 2026, and reaffirm its continued usefulness and relevance to communities and institutions across the region.

Opening the meeting, HRH Princess Rym Ali underlined that global changes and regional spillover effects require a deepening of the founding values of the shared Euro-Mediterranean space. She also reflected on the internal evolution of the Foundation in recent years, emphasizing that when intercultural dialogue is properly supported through civil society, it can contribute to a more peaceful region.

The ALF’s President noted that current realities demand more than symbolic engagement, as polarisation has intensified within societies, disinformation is increasingly used to fuel division, and the gap between the world young people seek to build and the one taking shape is widening. In this context, HRH stressed the importance of empowering youth through guided, credible, and values-based work rooted in equality and justice, alongside stronger bridges between civil society and institutions.

Looking ahead, HRH Princess Rym Ali emphasised that special attention in 2026 will be dedicated to aligning ALF action with the priorities of the Pact for the Mediterranean, particularly its people-to-people dimension. The implementation of two new programmes will represent the main new features compared to the previous plan, with more than 80% of the current Phase (2025-2028) operational programme budget channelled directly to National Civil Society Networks and local-level activities across the region.

In parallel to scaling grassroots action, HRH highlighted the ALF’s growing role in sharing and managing knowledge through targeted publications, briefs, and learning products, making them accessible to institutions and practitioners. HRH met Roberta Metsola to discuss strengthened ALF-European Parliament cooperation, including progress towards establishing a Youth Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean, an action set out in the Pact for the Mediterranean.

HRH Princess Rym Ali highlighted the strong relationship between the ALF and the European Parliament, supported through its Secretariat-General, which has enabled sustained exchanges on intercultural dialogue. These have also included engagement with Members of the European Parliament in DMED on the active participation of young Euro-Mediterranean leaders in the debates of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Princess Rym Ali also highlighted that, in line with the ALF’s mission, the people-to-people and culture dimensions of the Pact for the Mediterranean will be central to AgorALF 2026. Taking place on 27-28 April 2026 in Limassol, it will convene 400 actors in intercultural dialogue from both shores of the Mediterranean. HRH extended an invitation to Metsola to attend.

Amman: The Tkiyet Um Ali has announced the launch of its Ramadan 2026 campaign under the theme “Your Zakat to Jordan and Gaza,” reaffirming its commitment to social solidarity by directing zakat contributions toward strengthening food security and providing protection for the most vulnerable families. The campaign is implemented in accordance with a religious ruling issued by the Jordanian General Iftaa Department.

According to Jordan News Agency, the organization stated that zakat funds are allocated through carefully designed programs that respond to differing humanitarian needs, ensuring families receive essential assistance while preserving their dignity.

Through these contributions, Tkiyet Um Ali continues to provide consistent and sustainable food support to 20,000 registered families across all governorates. Monthly food parcels aim to ensure long-term household stability, mitigate food insecurity, and reinforce the national social safety net throughout the year.

As part of its longstanding Ramadan tradition, the organization will host daily Iftar gatherings at its headquarters in Amman, serving nearly 5,000 fasting individuals each day. Additionally, approximately 150,000 Iftar meals will be distributed nationwide in cooperation with partner associations.

Beyond Jordan, zakat funds are also being directed to Gaza as part of a comprehensive, multi-sector humanitarian response adapted to ongoing challenges. Assistance includes food parcels, hot meals, and dates, alongside efforts to rehabilitate shelter facilities for 6,000 displaced individuals.

Support encompasses the provision of 1,000 tents, healthcare units, equipped classrooms, blankets, and winter clothing, helping safeguard access to shelter, food, and education while strengthening families’ resilience under severe humanitarian conditions.

Director General Samer Balqar stated that this year’s campaign highlights the broader developmental and humanitarian role of zakat, ensuring donations generate sustainable impact for vulnerable communities both in Jordan and in Gaza.

The organization emphasized that zakat is collected and distributed in line with Sharia guidelines and formal religious authorization, and that strict governance and transparency measures are applied at every stage of fund management. In addition to zakat, Tkiyet Um Ali welcomes donations in the form of voluntary charity, Iftar sponsorships, family sponsorships, food parcels, and sacrificial offerings.

Supporters can contribute to the Ramadan 2026 campaign by calling 064900900, visiting www.tua.jo, using the TUA mobile application, or donating at designated locations in shopping centers across the Kingdom.

Amman: The selling price of a gram of 21-karat gold, the most popular among citizens in the local market, reached JD101.6 at jewelry shops on Thursday, compared with JD96.6 for purchases.

According to Jordan News Agency, the bulletin issued by the General Syndicate of Owners of Jewelry and Goldsmith Shops reported that the selling prices per gram of 24-karat, 18-karat, and 14-karat gold stood at JD116.5, JD90.5, and JD70.7 respectively.