Thousands of children in Gaza City received a second dose of the polio vaccine over the weekend, following delays caused by intense Israeli bombardment and mass evacuation orders in northern Gaza, as reported by the United Nations and other aid agencies.
The second phase of the vaccination campaign was initially scheduled to start on October 23 in northern Gaza but was postponed due to concerns over safety for health workers amid ongoing fighting. The World Health Organization and UNICEF issued a statement on Friday confirming these delays.
The first round of vaccinations took place in September across northern Gaza. Since then, the Israeli military has intensified its offensive in the region, citing a resurgence of Hamas.
According to U.N. agencies, a humanitarian pause for the vaccination campaign was guaranteed only for Gaza City. They noted that approximately 15,000 children under 10 in northern towns affected by the Israeli military operations would remain inaccessible, potentially undermining the campaign's effectiveness.
COGAT, the Israeli government agency responsible for policy in Gaza and the West Bank, reported that 58,604 children under 10 had been vaccinated in northern Gaza since the second phase began a day earlier. The agency stated that Israel would continue efforts to facilitate the vaccination campaign.
The Gazan Health Ministry confirmed the number of vaccinations, with the campaign expected to continue through Monday.
However, the campaign faced incidents, including reports from the World Health Organization's director general, who stated that six people, including four children, were injured when a health care center distributing vaccines was struck in a designated humanitarian pause area. The source of the strike was not specified.
In response, an Israeli military spokesman indicated that initial reviews suggested no military action had occurred in that area at that time.
Additionally, UNICEF reported that a vehicle carrying one of its staff members, engaged in the polio campaign, came under fire from what was believed to be a drone. Although the staff member was unharmed, UNICEF emphasized the serious risks posed to civilians in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military did not respond immediately to inquiries regarding this incident.
Aid agencies initiated the vaccination campaign following the discovery of poliovirus traces in local wastewater in July and the paralysis of a 10-month-old boy in August, marking the first such case in Gaza in 25 years.
In September, temporary pauses in the conflict, agreed upon by Israel and Hamas, enabled aid workers to immunize approximately 640,000 children under 10 at risk of the disease. The campaign progressed from central Gaza to the south and concluded in the northern region.
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