UN Extends Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict

The United Nations, alongside local health authorities, has extended its vaccination initiative against polio in the southern Gaza Strip for an additional day. This decision follows the alarming report of the first polio case in 25 years, coinciding with the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the region.

The campaign, led by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), aims to immunize approximately 640,000 children, with 200,000 targeted in southern Gaza. Amani Ashur, a 37-year-old father, shared his concerns as he brought his one-year-old son, Abdul Rahman, for vaccination. Living in a tent beside a sewage pond, he described the dire health conditions exacerbated by the conflict, stating, “The war and lack of cleanliness have contributed to the spread of disease.”

The first phase of the vaccination drive commenced on September 1, while the second phase began last Thursday and was extended through the weekend. A third phase will commence on Monday in northern Gaza. Officials reported that over half of the targeted children have already received their oral vaccinations, with follow-up doses scheduled in a month.

As the vaccination efforts progress, violence continues in the region. An Israeli airstrike on a home in Jabalia resulted in the death of the deputy director of Gaza’s Civil Emergency Service, along with several family members. Residents of Gaza City report ongoing bombardments, leaving many trapped and in desperate need of assistance amidst the chaos. The conflict, which escalated after a Hamas attack on October 7, has led to the deaths of over 40,900 Palestinians and a humanitarian crisis affecting the entire population of 2.3 million.