Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement for a three-day cessation of hostilities in Gaza to allow for a crucial polio vaccination campaign targeting 640,000 children. This decision follows the confirmation of a polio case in Gaza—the first in 25 years—by the World Health Organization (WHO) on August 23.
The vaccination campaign is scheduled to begin on Sunday, with designated pauses in fighting occurring from 6 am to 3 pm local time each day. The campaign will be conducted in three phases: starting in central Gaza, moving to southern Gaza, and concluding in northern Gaza. Each phase will be supported by a three-day pause in fighting, with the possibility of extending the pause by an additional day if needed to achieve sufficient coverage.
Mike Ryan, WHO's emergencies director, highlighted that an additional day or two is often necessary to reach the required 90 percent coverage during each round of vaccination to effectively curb the outbreak and prevent international spread. Following the first round, a second round of vaccination will be necessary four weeks later.
The agreement includes cooperation from Hamas, which has expressed its readiness to support international organizations in ensuring the vaccination campaign is secure and effective. Hamas official Basem Naim affirmed their commitment to protecting over 650,000 Palestinian children in Gaza.
On Israel's side, the military's humanitarian unit, COGAT, has pledged to coordinate the vaccination campaign, allowing for medical centers to operate smoothly during the pauses. This coordination is part of the broader humanitarian efforts, which also include ongoing aid delivery and collaboration with the WHO and UNICEF.
The conflict, which escalated on October 7 with a large-scale attack by Hamas on Israel, has resulted in substantial casualties and widespread displacement. Israeli military actions in response have led to over 40,000 Palestinian deaths and significant damage to infrastructure, prompting international concern and criticism.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported severe disruptions to aid operations due to hostilities and evacuation orders, affecting transport routes and facilities. Acting UN aid chief Joyce Msuya noted that Israel had recently reversed an evacuation order for parts of Deir al-Balah, allowing some UN staff to return to their premises.
The US has called for Israel to ensure periods of calm and avoid additional evacuation orders during the vaccination campaign to facilitate effective delivery of aid and medical services.
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