Gaza has vaccinated nearly 90 percent of children under 10. Polio vaccination campaign successfully completed in Gaza Health
The first round of the polio vaccination campaign has been completed in the Gaza Strip. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and their partners have vaccinated more than 560,000 children under 10.
Humanitarian organizations have thus achieved their target of vaccinating nearly 90 percent of children in the enclave. The next step is to administer the second dose of the vaccine in a few weeks.
“We admire all the medical teams who carried out this complex operation,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“We are deeply grateful to the families for their trust and cooperation,” he added.
Dr Tedros called the vaccination campaign a “tremendous success” amid the “tragic daily reality” in the Gaza Strip.
The campaign was carried out in three phases, targeting central, southern and northern Gaza.
As agreed with Israel, three humanitarian pauses, each lasting three days, were announced during the vaccination period. During the pauses, fighting was suspended for eight to nine hours each day.
“Imagine what could be achieved under a ceasefire,” Dr Tedros said.
UNRWA worker killed in West Bank
Meanwhile, UNRWA staff are mourning the death of a colleague killed last night in Farah camp in the West Bank. Sufyan Jaber Abed Jawad was shot dead on the roof of his home by a sniper during an Israeli military operation. He was a sanitation worker in Farah camp and left behind a wife and five children.
This is the first time an UNRWA staff member has been killed in the West Bank in more than a decade, and the incident comes amid an unprecedented surge in violence.
The northern West Bank has endured weeks of protracted Israeli military operations, with the Farah, Tulkarm, Nur Shams and Jenin refugee camps worst hit. Civilian infrastructure, including water and electricity networks, has been destroyed. UNRWA also notes that 6,000 children are unable to attend school amid the escalating violence.
At the same time, agency staff have been forced to suspend assistance to refugees due to security concerns.
UNRWA also expresses concern over the use of improvised explosive devices by Palestinian armed groups.
“All civilians must be protected during military operations and ensure safe access to essential services,” said Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA’s West Bank office.