Israel and Hamas have agreed to a series of humanitarian pauses in Gaza to facilitate a critical polio vaccination campaign for children under 10, set to begin on September 1. The campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 640,000 children against the type 2 poliovirus, which was recently detected in a 10-month-old child, marking the first case in Gaza in 25 years.The vaccination effort will be conducted in three stages: first in central Gaza, then in the southern region, and finally in the northern area. Each pause will last for three days, with daily ceasefires from 6 AM to 3 PM local time. Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative for the Palestinian territories, stated, ‘We have a preliminary commitment for area-specific humanitarian pauses during the campaign’.The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced that 1,000 of its employees will participate in the vaccination campaign. Additionally, over 2,100 health agents will administer the two drops of vaccine to children under 10 years old. The WHO has brought 1.26 million doses of vaccine from Indonesia to support the effort.While this agreement represents a positive step towards addressing the immediate health crisis, it occurs against a backdrop of ongoing conflict. Israeli military operations in the West Bank have resulted in Palestinian casualties and infrastructure damage. The European Union is considering imposing sanctions on some Israeli government officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, for alleged human rights violations and incitement to hatred.The United Nations has called on Israel to stop its military operation in the West Bank and to exercise maximum restraint. Meanwhile, negotiations for a broader ceasefire involving the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners continue with ‘little progress,’ according to Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser of the White House.
Key points
- Israel and Hamas agree to humanitarian pauses for polio vaccination in Gaza, starting September 1.
- The campaign aims to vaccinate 640,000 children under 10 against type 2 poliovirus.
- EU considers sanctions on Israeli officials for alleged human rights violations.
- Israeli military operations in West Bank continue, causing Palestinian casualties and infrastructure damage.
Contradictions👾While Israel agrees to humanitarian pauses for polio vaccination in Gaza, it continues military operations in the West Bank, leading to conflicting narratives about its overall approach to the conflict.
