Humanitarian Pause in Gaza: Polio Vaccination Amid War and Health Threats

A report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

More than 16,000 children in Gaza have been killed by Israel since the start of the genocidal war on the strip. The same Israel that committed these massacres agreed today to a humanitarian pause in the fighting for one reason: to vaccinate the remaining children in Gaza against polio. But is this an Israeli moral awakening? The answer is definitely no.

The humanitarian pause was not approved by Israel out of concern for Gaza’s children, but rather because the virus has become a health threat to Israelis on the other side of the border. The risk of the virus spreading from Gaza into Israel has become real, as returning soldiers from Gaza could potentially be carriers of this highly contagious virus.

The partial calm that Gaza will experience from Sunday to Tuesday, for nine hours a day—from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.—will allow the World Health Organization, in cooperation with local authorities, to conduct a vaccination campaign for about 640,000 children in Gaza, aimed at containing the spread of the polio virus. After a quarter of a century of the virus being eradicated, Gaza recorded its first case of polio.

While it is true that Israeli soldiers returning from Gaza have received these vaccinations, they are still capable of transmitting the virus to their families and communities. The vaccine protects against the effects of infection but does not prevent the transmission of the virus.

The biggest concern involves the Haredi community, which represents 17% of Israel's population. This group is known for its refusal of vaccinations, putting their children at risk of contracting infectious diseases like polio. The Israeli government's previous decision to exempt the Haredim from vaccination campaigns could seriously endanger public health in Israel.

Israel, which has long protected its citizens from infectious diseases through advanced vaccination programs, now faces a new challenge. It is racing against time in Gaza. But will this effort be enough to protect public health on both sides of the border? In Israel, perhaps yes, but in Gaza, war remains the greatest threat to its children.