In a significant development, Israel has agreed to a series of three-day ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Gaza to facilitate the administration of polio vaccinations by the World Health Organization (WHO). This decision comes after the first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years was confirmed this month in an unvaccinated 10-month-old baby.
The WHO representative for Palestinian territories, Rik Peeperkorn, confirmed that the vaccination campaign will begin on September 1st in central Gaza and continue for three days, with a humanitarian pause during the vaccination period. The campaign will subsequently cover southern and northern Gaza, each receiving their own three-day pauses. Israel has also agreed to extend the pauses by an additional day if necessary.
While Israeli authorities have yet to officially comment, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified on Wednesday night that these measures do not constitute a ceasefire. Hamas, the governing body in Gaza, has expressed support for the UN humanitarian truce.
The United States and the European Union have voiced concern over the outbreak of polio in Gaza. The UN agencies have outlined a plan to administer oral vaccines against type-2 poliovirus (cVDPV2) to more than 640,000 children in the territory.
Poliovirus is highly contagious and commonly spread through sewage and contaminated water, which is an increasing problem in Gaza due to the damage caused by Israel’s war against Hamas. The disease primarily affects children under five years old and can lead to deformities, paralysis, and even death.
