UN agencies and partners in the Gaza Strip will continue to vaccinate “as many Gaza children as possible” during the agreed humanitarian pause, before moving to the north of the war-torn enclave. UNRWA added.
Thousands of families have been arriving at health centres to receive doses from UN medical teams, UNRWA reported. In southern Gaza, more than 152,000 children have been vaccinated in the town of Khan Younis, nearly 8,800 in Rafah and another 1,000 elsewhere in the south.
This promising development follows the successful completion of the first phase of the vaccination campaign in central Gaza earlier this week, where more than 187,000 children under the age of 10 were protected against polio. The combined coverage for central and southern Gaza now stands at 354,786 children.
340,000 people need vaccination in the South
In total, aid groups aim to reach 340,000 children in southern Gaza on Saturday, at schools, health centers or by going from tent to tent.
The third and final phase is scheduled to begin in northern Gaza on Monday 9 September for three days, targeting some 150,000 children, and the entire operation will be repeated after four weeks.
Once complete, about 640,000 children will receive two drops of the new oral polio vaccine type 2 in each phase, after the highly contagious virus re-emerged in Gaza in June after 25 years.
The campaign is led by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNRWA, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other humanitarian partners.
International media ban remains in place
Nearly 11 months since the war began, sparked by Hamas-led terrorist attacks on multiple targets in Israel, international media groups remain barred from entering Gaza by Israeli authorities.
“International journalists often report on conflict and war,” speak UNRWA Director-General Philippe Lazzarini has called on international media to make greater efforts to gain access to the area and report freely.
“I have great admiration for Palestinian journalists. They continue to carry the torch even though so many of them have been killed. They need the support of their colleagues,” he said.
Wennesland: Stopping Violence in the West Bank
As the war continues in Gaza, deadly clashes taking place in the occupied West Bank that left two Palestinian children dead in Jenin and Tulkarem have been condemned by the United Nations’ top representative on the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland.
“I am deeply appalled by the tragic killing of two children over the past two days by Israeli security forces during military operations in Jenin and Tulkarem,” he said in an online post on Thursday.
“I call for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into these incidents, highlighting the urgent need for accountability and justice to ensure the protection of all civilians. Every child’s life is precious, and the loss of so many young lives is a tragic reminder that decisive action is needed now to end violence.“
Echoing that message, UNWRA reported that violence and destruction “increase by the hour” in the West Bank.
Last week was the deadliest for Palestinian civilians in the West Bank since November last year, with seven children among the many killed, according to the UN agency.
“This is unacceptable. It must stop now,” UNRWA persistent on X.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Foreign Affairs, OCHAIt also reported that medical facilities have been virtually under siege for more than a week, with severe restrictions on the movement of ambulances and medical staff.
The report added that humanitarian needs are increasing amid heightened insecurity and excessive use of force.
