Polio vaccination campaign resumes in Gaza amid ongoing violence

Tens of thousands of children have received a second dose of the vaccine after the start of the new polio vaccination round in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

More than 58,600 children under the age of 10 were vaccinated against polio on Saturday, UNICEF and the Israeli military authority COGAT, which is responsible for Palestinian affairs, reported on Sunday.

The vaccination campaign resumed after being suspended due to heavy fighting.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO), wrote on X on Sunday that the organization had received a report of an attack on a vaccination centre despite the promised tactical combat breaks. Six people, including children, were reportedly injured.

Medical sources in the Gaza Strip said the attack was carried out by the Israeli military, an accusation Israel refuted. The information could not be independently verified.

A WHO team was on the ground shortly before the incident, Tedros said. "This attack, during [a] humanitarian pause, jeopardises the sanctity of health protection for children and may deter parents from bringing their children for vaccination," the WHO director warned.

In a post on platform X, UNICEF spoke of "unparalleled operational & security challenges" in the vaccination campaign.

According to UNICEF, around 119,000 children are to be vaccinated in the north. However, it is unclear whether all of them can be reached for their second dose. COGAT said the vaccination round should take at least three days.

The vaccination campaign in the northern part of the Gaza Strip was interrupted in October due to heavy fighting. Vaccinations at the medical centre affected continued, according to medical sources in the Gaza Strip.