Israel has consented to implement a series of “humanitarian breaks” in Gaza, facilitating a polio vaccination drive for children, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The initiative, set to commence this Sunday, targets the immunization of approximately 640,000 children throughout Gaza, as stated by senior WHO official Rik Peeperkorn.
The vaccination program will unfold in three distinct phases, covering the central, southern, and northern regions of Gaza. Each phase will feature a cessation of hostilities for three consecutive days, from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM local time. This decision follows the alarming report by UN officials of a 10-month-old infant suffering partial paralysis due to the first polio case in Gaza in 25 years.
Over 1.26 million doses of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) have been delivered to Gaza, with an additional 400,000 doses expected soon. The vaccination drive, spearheaded by UN staff alongside local health workers, involves over 2,000 personnel trained specifically for this campaign.
Louise Wateridge, speaking on behalf of the UN in Gaza, emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire, stating, “We cannot vaccinate children under a sky full of bombs and strikes, we cannot vaccinate children who are fleeing for their lives.” She highlighted the logistical challenges, explaining that military activities during the vaccination period could severely hamper the campaign’s effectiveness.
Children targeted for vaccination will receive two doses this week, with a follow-up dose required four weeks later to ensure immunity. The World Health Organization (WHO) aims for a 90% vaccination coverage across Gaza, critical for halting the virus’s transmission. An additional day of vaccination and humanitarian pause has been agreed upon if necessary to meet this target.
Polio, highly infectious and primarily affecting children under five, spreads through contaminated water and sewage, potentially leading to paralysis or death. Before the conflict, immunization rates in Gaza and the West Bank were nearly perfect, with polio vaccine coverage at 99% in 2022, though it dropped to 89% last year.
In response to the outbreak, the Israeli military started vaccinating its soldiers against polio in July. Meanwhile, a Hamas official, Basem Naim, expressed readiness to cooperate with international bodies to ensure the campaign’s success, aiming to protect over 650,000 children in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that these pauses in military operations are “not a ceasefire.” James Kariuki, UK’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, welcomed the vaccination initiative but stressed the need for sufficient pause duration to achieve the required coverage, especially emphasizing the safety of children at vaccination sites.
Amidst these efforts, Prof. Hagai Levine from the Hostages Families Forum called for the inclusion of hostages in the vaccination drive. This initiative comes against the backdrop of Israel’s military response to an attack by Hamas on October 7, which led to significant casualties and hostage-taking, escalating tensions and leading to over 40,530 deaths in Gaza as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry.
