WHO: Polio Vaccination Campaign Ahead of Target for Gaza Children
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday — which is day three of a polio vaccination drive in Gaza — that it was ahead of its targets, inoculating about a quarter of children under 10. The WHO said that around 161K children under 10 in central Gaza had been vaccinated, exceeding th...
Facts
- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday — which is day three of a polio vaccination drive in Gaza — that it was ahead of its targets, inoculating about a quarter of children under 10. The WHO said that around 161K children under 10 in central Gaza had been vaccinated, exceeding the expected 150K.[1]
- The WHO aims to vaccinate 640K children in the campaign. Israel agreed to temporary pauses in specific regions of the strip to facilitate the campaign, though fighting has continued in other areas. The campaign will next focus on southern Gaza and then the north.[2]
- Israel confirmed the WHO's numbers. The drive comes after an unvaccinated 10-month-old baby contracted polio and suffered partial paralysis, the first case of the disease in Gaza in 25 years.[3]
- Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Monday his demand that Israeli forces must remain along the Gaza-Egypt border — often referred to as the Philadelphi Corridor — following mass protests calling for a cease-fire and hostage release deal.[4]
- Netanyahu asked Israelis for 'forgiveness' for failing to return six hostages found dead in Gaza over the weekend, as Hamas has warned that more could be 'returned to their families in shrouds' if a deal isn't reached. Negotiations have continued, but progress is unclear.[5]
- Hamas said that it changed its operating instructions for how to handle hostages after an Israeli operation in June that rescued four hostages but killed scores of Palestinian civilians. The group did not explicitly specify what the changes entailed.[6]
Sources: [1]Reuters (a), [2]New York Times, [3]Timesofisrael, [4]Al Jazeera, [5]BBC News and [6]Reuters (b).
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by POLITICO. With the clock ticking, the US and its allies are confident that after some tough negotiating, a deal between Israel and Hamas can be reached. A guaranteed end to the war will ensure increased humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, the release of Israeli hostages, and create a better 'day after' in Gaza without Hamas in power. The US will continue to work toward closing the gaps and ensuring peace and stability.
- Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by ISRAEL HAYOM. Though Israel is committed to its war goals and the release of all hostages, a polio outbreak in Gaza would be a disaster for both Palestinians and Israelis. Israel has not accepted a cease-fire or a temporary truce that applies to all of Gaza, as the agreement stipulates that specific areas will see a cessation of hostilities. This demonstrates Israel's ethical and humanitarian stance in this conflict.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. The US has consistently failed to address Israel's intransigence regarding the situation in Gaza. Allowing for a vaccination campaign is the bare minimum in terms of reducing the suffering of Palestinians who are still facing Israel's genocidal war. This has been a catastrophic failure of the West and the humanitarian system — assistance must be freely delivered into, and throughout, Gaza immediately.
