The collaboration was launched following meetings held on the sidelines of the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation's international conference in Croatia, and was followed by a visit to the Italian institute's headquarters in Rome on July 16–17, 2026, by Dr. Jamal Dabbeek, coordinator of the Earth Sciences and Seismic Engineering Unit at the Urban Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction Center and lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering at An-Najah National University.

On the first day of the visit, Dr. Dabbeek gave an introductory presentation about An-Najah National University, its faculties and research centers, and the role of the Earth Sciences and Seismic Engineering Unit in disaster risk assessment and management. He highlighted the university's key national projects, foremost among them the Integrating Resilience in Local Governance in West Bank and Gaza (IRLG) project, through which the first national multi-hazard risk assessment in Palestine was completed; carried out for the Risk and Crisis Management Unit at the Ministry of Interior (formerly the National Disaster Risk Management Center) and funded by the Municipal Development and Lending Fund in Palestine (MDLF).

The presentation also addressed the scientific and technical challenges facing tsunami hazard studies, and the potential for utilising an early warning alert system in the Gaza Strip to raise national preparedness for potential natural hazards.

The visit included a tour of Italy's seismic observatory and tsunami early warning system, where Dr. Dabbeek learned about the institute's working mechanisms and protocols for delivering alerts to decision-makers.

During joint working sessions with the INGV tsunami team, several areas of cooperation were discussed; most notably the preparation of tsunami flood evacuation zone maps for the Gaza Strip. Preliminary results and maps were produced in the first phase of the work, and it was agreed to proceed to a second phase involving an advanced tsunami hazard assessment.

The tsunami hazard and inundation maps are to be published on the national interactive platform for hazard and risk maps belonging to the Ministry of Interior's Risk and Crisis Management Unit, which is currently managed by the Earth Sciences and Seismic Engineering Unit at An-Najah National University.

The parties also discussed holding a capacity-building training course on tsunami hazard modelling and early warning systems, targeting representatives of Palestinian research, operational, and coordination institutions.

The talks also touched on strengthening Palestine's participation in international early warning systems, with Palestine pursuing membership in UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC); through the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science; in order to receive alerts from the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System for the North-East Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas (NEAMTWS), given that Palestine has been a UNESCO member since 2011.

Dr. Jamal Dabbeek expressed his appreciation to Dr. Stefano Lorito and the INGV Tsunami Hazard group for their valuable contributions and hospitality, stressing that the next stage will focus on completing the joint technical working sessions to finish the second phase of the tsunami hazard assessment for the Gaza Strip, coordinating with relevant national bodies, including the Ministry of Interior and the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, as well as planning the training course and exploring longer-term collaboration agreements.

This collaboration reflects the scientific role An-Najah National University plays in disaster risk reduction, strengthening international partnerships, and applying research expertise to serve Palestinian society and enhance its resilience to natural hazards.