Authorities in the Gaza Strip, controlled by the Islamist group Hamas, confirmed today that the second round of the polio vaccination campaign has begun, which aims to vaccinate around 590,000 children under the age of ten.
The Gaza Health Ministry published several photographs on the Telegram social network of the campaign, which began in the central region of the enclave and will initially continue in this area until October 17, although it may be extended for another day if necessary.
The campaign will then move to the southern Gaza Strip, to the regions of Khan Younis and Rafah, from October 19 to 22. The third phase will take place in the Gaza City region and in the north of the enclave - currently the scene of a major Israeli military operation - from October 22 to 25.
This will be the second and final round of polio immunization in the Gaza Strip, which aims to complement the vaccination of Palestinian children.
Palestinian authorities said on Sunday that the success of the campaign depends on the humanitarian truce agreed during the first round of vaccinations in August and September, although vaccinations began hours after the Israeli army bombed the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital (Deir al-Balah) in the central Gaza Strip.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed at least four people were killed and 40 injured in a bombing of tents set up inside the hospital to accommodate people displaced by Israel's military offensive in the enclave, and stressed that most of the victims "are children and women."
"We reiterate our call on international and United Nations institutions, as well as the parties involved, to intervene quickly and protect hospitals and health personnel from the brutality and crimes of the occupation," the ministry said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed in August a case of polio in a 10-month-old baby in the center of the Palestinian enclave in the midst of the Israeli offensive, the first such case confirmed in the Gaza Strip in 25 years. The poliovirus was detected in environmental samples in Khan Yunis and Deir el-Balah.
Israel's offensive against Gaza was launched after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 dead and nearly 250 kidnapped, according to Israeli authorities.
Since then, more than 42,200 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza authorities, in addition to more than 750 Palestinians killed at the hands of Israeli security forces and in attacks carried out by settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
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