UNRWA welcomes progress in Gaza polio campaign, calls for permanent ceasefire

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Wednesday it was making good progress in rolling out a polio vaccine to children in Gaza, but called for a permanent ceasefire in the 11-month war to ease humanitarian suffering.

UNRWA said that three days into the campaign in areas of central Gaza around 187,000 children have received the vaccine. The campaign will move to other areas of the enclave in the second stage.

The campaign was triggered by the discovery of a case of polio in a baby boy last month, the first in Gaza in 25 years. Israel and Hamas militants agreed to daily pauses of eight hours in the fighting in pre-specified areas to allow the vaccination program. No violations have been reported.

"Great progress! Every day in the Middle Areas of #Gaza, more children are getting vaccines against #Polio," the head of the global relief agency, Philippe Lazzarini, said on X on Wednesday.

"While these polio “pauses” are giving people some respite, what is urgently needed is a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages + the standard flow of humanitarian supplies, including medical and hygiene supplies," he said.

Palestinians say a key reason for the return of polio is the collapse of the health system and the destruction of most of Gaza's hospitals. Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes, which the Islamist group denies.

Reuters