Israel and Hamas Agree to Three-Day Pauses for Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza

Aug 29, 2024, 12:06 PM

Polio vaccines have been delivered to Gaza following the first confirmed case of the disease in 25 years, affecting a 10-month-old baby named Abdul Rahman Abu El-Jedian. Israel has coordinated the delivery of over 1.2 million doses, including 1,260,000 OPV2 vaccine doses, through the Kerem Shalom Crossing to combat the potential outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and UNRWA are preparing to vaccinate approximately 640,000 children under 10 years of age. However, the ongoing conflict in the region poses significant challenges to the vaccination campaign. In response, Israel and Hamas have agreed to three separate, zoned three-day pauses in fighting to facilitate the vaccination efforts. UNICEF has called for these humanitarian pauses to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the vaccination campaign.