In a collaborative effort with Palestinian health authorities, the United Nations commenced a vaccination campaign for 640,000 children in the Gaza Strip. This initiative comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed the first case of partial paralysis caused by the type 2 polio virus in the territory in 25 years.
The campaign kicked off in central Gaza on Sunday and is set to expand to other areas in the following days. To facilitate the vaccination effort, Israel and Hamas agreed to brief pauses in their conflict for at least eight hours on three consecutive days.
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WHO officials emphasized the need for at least 90% of the children to receive two doses of the vaccine with a four-week interval for the campaign to effectively combat the disease. However, the initiative faces significant challenges in Gaza, where the devastation caused by the ongoing conflict has made it difficult to reach and vaccinate all children.
Amid the vaccination efforts, Israeli forces continued to engage with Hamas in various areas across the Palestinian enclave. The conflict, which began after Hamas attacked southern Israel, has resulted in significant casualties on both sides.
The success of the vaccination campaign hinges on the cooperation of all parties involved to ensure that every child in Gaza and Israel is reached and protected from the spread of the polio virus.
