Israel has agreed to implement a series of “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza to facilitate the vaccination of children against polio, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The vaccination effort, which starts on Sunday, aims to inoculate approximately 640,000 children across Gaza. The campaign will be conducted in three phases, covering the central, southern, and northern regions of the strip. During each phase, there will be a three-day pause in fighting from 06:00 to 15:00 local time.
This agreement follows reports that a 10-month-old baby in Gaza has been partially paralyzed by a polio infection, the first case in the region in 25 years. Gaza already has 1.26 million doses of the new oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), with an additional 400,000 doses expected soon. The vaccinations will be administered by UN staff and local health workers, who have been extensively trained for this task.
UN spokesperson Louise Wateridge emphasized the necessity of a ceasefire to ensure the safe execution of the vaccination campaign, stating that military actions could hinder vaccination efforts. The WHO aims to achieve 90% vaccine coverage in Gaza to halt the virus’s spread. If necessary, an additional fourth day of pause and vaccination will be implemented.
Poliovirus is highly infectious and primarily affects young children, causing paralysis and potentially fatal outcomes. Before the current conflict, immunization rates in Gaza and the West Bank were high, with coverage at 99% in 2022, though it had decreased to 89% last year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clarified that these pauses do not constitute a ceasefire. James Kariuki, the UK deputy permanent representative to the UN, welcomed the vaccination plan and stressed the importance of ensuring that the pauses are sufficient to achieve the required coverage. Prof. Hagai Levine, representing the Hostages Families Forum, urged that the vaccination campaign also include individuals who are still being held hostage.
Since Israel’s military response to a Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, more than 40,530 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.