PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS
“Dehumanisation is the First Article of War.”
The first months of 2026 have witnessed a world in turmoil. Across the globe war and conflict has spread at a greater rate than at any time since the last century:
Russia-Ukraine; Lebanon-Hezbollah; Iran-Israel, United States and the Gulf; Afghanistan-Pakistan; Venezuela; Ethiopia-Eritrea; Mali and Burkina Faso; the Houthis; Kurdish rebellion in Iran.
It is an unprecedented collapse of the previously settled world order.
Caught in this maelstrom are the children and their families. Easily forgotten they bear the brunt of forces outside of their control. Most notably in Gaza where children and their communities continue to live with unsanitary conditions, a lack of fresh water and food, medical supplies and services – surrounded by devastation and ruin. Their voice must continue to be heard.
Richard Martin FRSA, President and Founder, Children of Peace.
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A Fun Day in Murad, summer 2025, for West Bank Palestinian children.
NEWS – MARCH 2026
NEWS – MARCH 2026
RAMADAN IN GAZA
Our Gaza correspondent Omar al-Najjar describes the importance of Ramadan to the beleaguered people of Gaza.
The holy month of Ramadan in Gaza has always been defined by a unique sensory palette.
The scent of food and Qatayef frying in narrow alleys, the rhythmic call of the Mesaharati echoing through the pre-dawn mist, the vibrant glow of Ramadan lanterns and the scouring wire firework. For the third year in row, the crescent moon rises over a landscape that looks different each time, yet the spiritual pulse of the month remains beat-for-beat with the city’s enduring heart.
This time, Ramadan came while the ceasefire is ongoing (in Gaza we call it ceasefire, but actually it is not, the killing and destruction machine never stopped), now we could eat somehow well, make better tables, and decorate our tents for spiritual and joy purposes. But I am speaking for myself and some people I know, but still, there are way too many families are fully dependant on the community kitchens and food distribution initiatives, while 90% of Gaza’s population are under poverty line, and 80% is the unemployment rate. Fasting is, at its core, an exercise in empathy. In Gaza, this empathy is not theoretical, it is lived as reality for more than two years.
As the sun sets, the focus shifts from the physical to the metaphysical. Despite the challenges, the congregational Tarawih prayers continue to serve as the community’s anchor. In courtyards, or big tents, or under the open sky, the recitation of the Quran provides a soundtrack of peace. These gatherings are more than religious obligations, they are moments of collective breath, where the weight of the day is exchanged for spiritual solace.
Ramadan in Gaza is a testament to the fact that light does not require a bulb to shine, it can be carried in the spirit.
While the lanterns may flicker, the internal glow of faith, hospitality, and persistence ensures that the “Holy Month” is never truly darkened. It is a time when the people of Gaza remind the world that even in the most difficult circumstances, the human spirit is capable of a profound, quiet beauty.
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BOARD OF PEACE
In this important article, Rolene Marks our Israeli correspondent asks if the Board of Peace bring lasting peace and stability to Gaza.
The Board of Peace is an international organization established by President Trump to oversee peacekeeping and reconstruction efforts, initially focused on Gaza, with a broader global mission. Israel has been included as a founder member of the Board of Peace.
After two years of intense fighting following the atrocities of 7 October when Hamas and other militant groups invaded southern Israel, killing over 1200 and kidnapping over 250, a delicate ceasefire enforced by the US has taken hold.
Despite insurgent attacks by Hamas that result in Israeli response, the ceasefire is holding. For now, the guns are mostly silent. All of the hostages have been returned. The living to try and rebuild their lives, the dead to be laid to eternal rest. Perhaps healing can begin.
The hope is that we can now move to phase two of the ceasefire plan – the demilitarization of Hamas. Palestinians and Israelis deserve a better future, one where the focus is on building trust and one day, peace. This can only be accomplished when terror groups like Hamas, whose foundational charter calls for the eradication of the Jewish state and the extermination of the Jews, are dismantled.
Enter the ‘Board of Peace’.
The Board of Peace (BoP) was proposed in September 2025 and formally established in January 2026 during the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, under the leadership of the United States. Its stated purpose is to promote stability, restore governance, and secure enduring peace in conflict-affected areas, beginning with the Gaza Strip. The board is tasked with supervising the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a 15-member technocratic body led by Dr. Ali Sha’aath, which coordinates reconstruction and governance in Gaza.
The initial aims include…
- Overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
- Reconstruction of Gaza, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, and public services.
- Disarming Hamas and training a new Palestinian police force through the International Stabilization Force. This to be a multinational peacekeeping mission, potentially extending its peacekeeping and stabilization efforts to other global conflict zones, according to its charter.
Hamas has stated categorically that they will not disarm and Israel will not accept a militarized Hamas on its borders following the atrocities of 7 October and decades of rocket attacks that have resulted in reprisal military operations.
One of the criticisms several countries have expressed is that the BoP mandate is very similar to that of the United Nations, preferring to observe rather than join.
The proof of its ability to fulfill its mandate will be tested in the coming months and year. If it is successful in Gaza, could it help put an end to other global conflicts?
It was recently revealed that the United Nations has a dedicated budget of $100 million aimed at anti-Israel activities, eroding any trust Israel has in the institution. Israel’s hope is that the BoP will bring about much needed change, hope and a practical, brighter future for both Israelis and Palestinians.
We deserve nothing less.
Rebuilding Lives
The violence against Israelis and Palestinians hurts children in both communities – with an increase in post-traumatic stress, morbidity, nightmares. Children of Peace carries out urgent work with our partners – protecting and supporting children. Please support our work and help the #childrenofconflict.
Photo credit: Lyle Hastie - Unsplash
RAFAH PIONEERS SCHOOL
Prior to the October War Gaza had one of the highest levels of literacy in the region. Today there are numerous initiatives in Gaza to ensure children continue to study and receive educational programmes – notably the remarkable Rafah Pioneers School.
Here the important work of the Rafah Pioneers School established by Osama al-Najjar, an educationalist is looked at by his son Omar.
In late January 2026, my father noticed a troubling trend. Most children within our camp and the surrounding areas were spending their days idle. This lack of structure often led to frustration and conflict. Driven by a desire to end their suffering and provide a purposeful way to spend their time, he decided to build a school.
The original concept was simple, a modest space dedicated to teaching the core basics Math, Science, Arabic, and English. He reached out to the community for support, and several teachers immediately stepped forward to volunteer. To secure a physical space, he approached Mr. Hector, Head of Mission for the UK-MED Gaza Response, who provided a large tent to serve as the first classroom.
The school opened with just 42 students from the camp. However, word spread quickly. Within a week, over 120 students were rushing to join, sparking an expansion that brought more community members together to build additional classes and secure more tents.
Recognising the impact of the initiative, UNICEF later stepped in to provide four additional tents. This support allowed the Rafah Pioneers School to reach an official capacity of 1,000 registered students, with dozens more currently on a waiting list. To accommodate everyone, the school operates on a four-shift system, two per day, with each group attending three days a week. The curriculum now spans from kindergarten through high school.
Today, while various NGOs and local initiatives visit to provide essential supplies like stationery, winter jackets, and snacks, significant needs remain. To continue its mission, the school still requires proper furniture, printing equipment, electrical supply, consistent stationery supplies, and financial incentives for the dedicated volunteer teachers who make this education possible.
Keep following the updates of the school from their Facebook account,
facebook.com/RafahPioneersSchool
Children of Peace plan to support this project. To DONATE specifically to the Rafah Pioneers School tap/click below…
RAFAH PIONEERS SCHOOL DONATIONS ...
Following the remarkable success of my father’s initiative, the Palestinian Ministry of Education officially recognized the school. They now provide legal oversight, supervise the volunteer faculty, and will issue formal certificates at the end of the academic year.
OUR COALITION OF PEACE
… is a unique peace network with affiliates on every continent, and especially in Gaza, Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.
WE WELCOME A NEW FRIEND OF CHILDREN OF PEACE
Children of Peace is delighted to welcome William Sewell.
I support Children of Peace because it’s painful to see such anger, conflict and devastation in Israel/Palestine and I want to see ordinary lives allowed to be lived.
I travelled in Israel and the West Bank as a student in the late 1970s including time on a kibbutz and a couple of weeks teaching English at Birzeit university. Since then I’ve felt connected.
I am a restaurateur and food writer with cafés in Hereford and Ludlow”.
We receive no donations from governments or international bodies. Yet our work for peace is vital. Individual donors from around the world have made Children of Peace the largest peace network across the MENA.
That’s why we honour a longtime donor to Children of Peace – William Sewell – who has generously supported our work over many years.
President of Children of Peace says…
“We are delighted to welcome Bill Sewell who joins our distinguished group of Friends, in appreciation of his steadfast support for our commitment to peace across the Middle East. Thank you Bill.”