Israel Agrees to Humanitarian Pauses for Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza

Israel has agreed to a series of humanitarian pauses in the ongoing conflict in Gaza to facilitate a polio vaccination campaign for children in the enclave, according to officials from the United Nations and Israel, CNN reports.

The pauses are set to begin on September 1 and will be organized into three separate three-day phases aimed at reaching children under the age of 10.

Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative for the West Bank and Gaza, announced during a press briefing that the first phase will focus on central Gaza, followed by the southern and northern regions.

“We have a preliminary commitment for area-specific humanitarian pauses during the campaign,” Peeperkorn said, adding that vaccinations will be allowed to take place during these pauses, each expected to last about seven hours.

An Israeli official confirmed to the broadcaster that the polio vaccinations would start in Gaza on September 1, although details on the distribution logistics from COGAT, Israel’s agency overseeing aid into Gaza, were not immediately available.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, expressed support for the vaccination campaign, stating that the group is prepared to cooperate with international organizations to ensure its success. The urgency of the campaign is linked to Gaza’s polio vaccination coverage, which has fallen to just over 80% from near universality before the conflict. Peeperkorn stressed that achieving more than 90% coverage was essential to prevent further outbreaks.

He cautioned that the three-day pauses might not suffice for adequate vaccination, suggesting that extensions could be considered if necessary. The campaign will involve administering two doses of the vaccine, with a four-week interval between them. The goal is to vaccinate some 640,000 children under 10 years old, for which 1.26 million doses and 500 vaccine carriers have already been delivered to Gaza.

Polio, primarily affecting children under five, is highly contagious and can lead to irreversible paralysis and death, making immunization vital for prevention. In light of the humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing conflict, the Hostages Families Forum has urged WHO and UNICEF to include hostages held by Hamas in the vaccination campaign.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of the vaccination effort during his recent discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pushing for it to be a top priority. Netanyahu agreed to collaborate with the US on the logistics, with US Special Envoy Lise Grande leading efforts to finalize details regarding the pauses and delivery methods.

The WHO, along with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, is collaborating on a strategic “microplan” to execute the vaccination campaign. These organizations have stressed that a ceasefire, referred to as a “polio pause,” is critical for the campaign’s success and for containing the virus’s spread to the wider region.