UN Announces Humanitarian Pauses for Polio Vaccinations Amid Gaza Conflict

The UN World Health Organisation declared limited 'humanitarian pauses' to vaccinate 640,000 children against polio in Gaza after the first case in 25 years. These pauses will last three days in different Gaza regions, starting in central Gaza. Campaigning is coordinated with Israeli authorities.

The UN World Health Organization declared Thursday that there will be limited pauses in fighting in Gaza to administer polio vaccinations to hundreds of thousands of children after a baby contracted the first confirmed case in 25 years in the Palestinian territory.

Described as "humanitarian pauses" that will last three days in different areas of the conflict-torn region, the vaccination campaign is set to start Sunday in central Gaza, according to Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the Palestinian territories. Subsequent pauses will follow in southern and northern Gaza. He indicated that additional days might be needed to complete the vaccinations.

Peeperkorn stated that the goal is to vaccinate 640,000 children under 10, a campaign that has been coordinated with Israeli authorities. "I'm not going to say this is the ideal way forward. But this is a workable way forward," Peeperkorn remarked. Despite this, the planned humanitarian pauses are not a cease-fire. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said there would likely be a tactical pause to facilitate these vaccinations, though the plan is not yet finalized.

(With inputs from agencies.)