- Gaza is facing a polio crisis amidst ongoing conflict, with the disease resurfacing after 25 years.
- The UN plans a vaccination campaign for 640,000 children, contingent on a pause in fighting.
- Israeli Prime Minister denies preparing for a humanitarian truce, while Hamas supports the UN's initiative for a truce to allow vaccinations.
- The escalating conflict and the polio outbreak highlight the urgent need for a ceasefire and international intervention.
In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding as the region grapples with the resurgence of polio, a disease not seen in the territory for 25 years. The United Nations is preparing to launch a vaccination campaign targeting an estimated 640,000 children, a move that is contingent on a pause in the fighting. The World Health Organization confirmed the presence of the type 2 poliovirus in the region on August 23, with at least one baby, Abdul-Rahman Abu Al-Jidyan, paralyzed by the disease.
Abdul-Rahman's mother, Nivine Abu Al-Jidyan, expressed her fear and shock at her son's diagnosis, lamenting the lack of medical resources available due to the war and the closure of border crossings. She voiced her concerns about her son's future, questioning whether he would remain paralyzed and underscoring his right to travel, receive treatment, and live a normal life.
The situation is further complicated by the ongoing Israeli strikes in the region. Umm Eliane Bakr, a mother in the southern city of Khan Younis, fears for her 19-month-old daughter's vulnerability to polio due to malnutrition. She expressed her anxiety about the safety of moving in an area subjected to repeated Israeli strikes, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire to allow her daughter to receive the vaccine.
Israeli Response and Hamas Support
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied reports that Israel was preparing for a generalized humanitarian truce, stating that a more limited plan had been presented. He clarified that the pauses in the fighting were not for administering polio vaccines but for the allocation of certain places in the Gaza Strip.
Despite this, senior Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq reiterated the group's support for the UN and international organizations' initiative for an urgent humanitarian truce across the enclave to allow the polio vaccination campaign. He criticized Netanyahu's statement as an attempt to thwart the process by refusing the UN call.
Conflict Escalation and Historical Precedence
The conflict in Gaza continues to escalate, with Israeli forces launching strikes across the enclave, resulting in significant casualties. One such strike on a house in Gaza City killed eight Palestinians, including children. Another missile strike near the border with Egypt killed three others. The ongoing violence has displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, leading to a hunger crisis and allegations of genocide at the World Court, which Israel denies.
The situation in Gaza is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of conflict on public health. The polio outbreak and the challenges in implementing a vaccination campaign underscore the urgent need for a humanitarian pause in the fighting. The international community, including the United Nations and the World Health Organization, is calling for a ceasefire to allow for the vaccination of children and to prevent further spread of the disease.
Historically, conflict zones have often been the sites of disease outbreaks due to the disruption of healthcare services, displacement of populations, and destruction of infrastructure. The current situation in Gaza echoes past instances where conflict and disease have intersected, such as the cholera outbreak in Yemen in 2016-2018, which was exacerbated by the ongoing civil war.
