Second stage of Gaza polio campaign begins while war goes on in other areas

Palestinians in Gaza receive polio vaccinations amid ongoing conflict, with diplomatic efforts for ceasefire ongoing.

Crowds of Palestinians gathered at medical centres in the south of the embattled Gaza Strip on Thursday, September 5, 2024, to have their children vaccinated against polio, the start of the second stage of a campaign that has so far seen 1,87,000 youngsters inoculated.

The U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said the campaign, facilitated by Hamas and Israel agreeing on limited pauses in their fighting, was so far successful but complex.

But the war continued elsewhere in the enclave, with Gaza health authorities reporting several people killed in Israeli airstrikes, including a hit on a hospital in central Gaza.

And despite the success of the polio campaign, diplomatic efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire in the war, the release of hostages held in Gaza, and the return of Palestinians jailed by Israel have faltered.

On Thursday, vaccinations began in Rafah and Khan Younis in the south of Gaza, both areas that have been battered by the war and have hosted tens of thousands of people who have fled other parts.

"The #polio vaccination campaign has moved to #Gaza southern areas today. @UNRWA teams are in Khan Younis this morning, working with partners to provide the vaccine to children," UNRWA said in a statement.

"At this critical time, area pauses must be respected to protect families and humanitarian workers," it said.