CAIRO: The United Nations on Wednesday lauded the progress on the polio vaccination campaign and called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza to ease the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people as the region continues to suffer from the prolonged conflict.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported that approximately 187,000 children in central Gaza had received polio vaccinations as part of an emergency campaign.
The vaccination initiative was launched following the discovery of a polio case in a baby boy last month, marking the first case of the disease in Gaza in 25 years. The vaccination campaign, facilitated by temporary pauses in Israeli bombardments, will continue in other areas of the enclave in its next phase.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini praised the progress of the vaccination effort but emphasized the need for a broader resolution. “While these polio ‘pauses’ are giving people some respite, what is urgently needed is a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the standard flow of humanitarian supplies including medical and hygiene supplies into Gaza,” Lazzarini said on social media.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been exacerbated by the collapse of the health system and the widespread destruction of hospitals due to ongoing conflict. Palestinians attribute the resurgence of polio to these dire conditions.
The Israeli Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said that it has facilitated the entry of 282,126 vials of polio vaccine into Gaza, sufficient for approximately 2.8 million doses. Additionally, around 554,512 vials of various vaccines have been delivered to the region.
Despite these efforts, diplomatic attempts to secure a permanent ceasefire and secure the release of hostages and the return of Palestinians detained by Israel have stalled.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted on maintaining Israeli troop presence in the Philadelphi corridor along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, a major point of contention in ceasefire negotiations.
Hamas demands full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza to agree on a ceasefire deal. Netanyahu has stated that the conflict will only end with the complete eradication of Hamas.
The ongoing conflict has led to significant international frustration. Slovenia’s UN envoy, who is currently presiding over the UN Security Council, has said that patience is wearing thin and that the global body may need to consider further action if a ceasefire is not achieved soon.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued their relentless bombardment campaign and killed around 200 Palestinians and destroyed civilian buildings over the past week.
However, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have continued to confront Israeli troops with anti-tank rockets, mortar fire, and explosive devices.
In Khan Younis, an Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinians, including a girl, medics said, while an airstrike in the Darraj suburb of Gaza City killed a local doctor, Nehad Al-Madhoun, in his house.
In the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, medics said an Israeli airstrike killed six Palestinians awaiting aid trucks near the Sheikh Zayed housing project.
Since October 7, over 40,861 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the ongoing relentless Israeli bombardment campaign in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.
