Long Line of Children in Deir al-Balah, Gaza for Polio Vaccine

The Israeli army's military operations in the Gaza Strip have temporarily halted to allow international health and aid organizations to vaccinate children in Gaza against the polio virus. The first case of polio was observed last month in a ten-month-old infant in Gaza, an occurrence not seen in the past 25 years. The infant was partially paralyzed due to not being vaccinated amid wartime conditions by a mutated polio virus. This disease can be particularly deadly for children under five years old. Vaccination for children under ten across Gaza began on Saturday, September 1, with families lining up with their children in the Deir al-Balah area in central Gaza, continuing on Sunday, September 2. According to data from the World Health Organization, before the ongoing war, 99% of children in the Gaza Strip were vaccinated. However, this rate dropped below 90% in the first quarter of 2024. The decrease in vaccination rates, amid severe damage to Gaza's infrastructure including health facilities, has created a conducive environment for the spread of various diseases, including infectious diseases in this strip. The World Health Organization announced a pause in the Gaza war for polio vaccination. Israeli officers in the government operations coordination unit concerning the Palestinian territories recently met with representatives from the United Nations and other international organizations to coordinate the details of the polio vaccination. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is affiliated with the extremist group Hamas, confirmed the vaccination of children starting from Saturday following an agreement between Israel and UN health agencies. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the US and the EU, yet despite 11 months of war, it still maintains control over organizations, including in the health sector in Gaza. Vaccination of children in central Gaza will continue until Tuesday of this week, with Saturday to Monday next week designated for children in northern Gaza. During these days, residents of Gaza can move through 'humanitarian corridors' to access vaccination. The nails of children who successfully receive the vaccine will be marked. Associated Press journalists saw ten infants receiving the vaccine at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Saturday afternoon. Health experts told the Washington Post that vaccinating all children in any part of Gaza while the war continues is only sufficient for these few days. These experts also warned about the potential mutation of the virus and its becoming more resistant.