Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire to allow 620,000 children in Gaza to receive polio vaccinations | WPN World People News

The conflict in Gaza has continued for 11 months, leading to worsening environmental and sanitary conditions. In mid-August, a 10-month-old baby boy was diagnosed with polio, marking the first polio case in Gaza in 25 years. The World Health Organization warned that if the outbreak is not controlled, it could spread globally, prompting pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire to allow vaccination for 620,000 children under the age of 10 in Gaza.

On Thursday, Israel announced that it would halt military operations in specific areas over the weekend and allow international medical teams to enter and provide vaccines. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that this is a limited agreement and not the first step towards a full ceasefire, as military actions will continue.

According to the agreement, the ceasefire will be implemented in three phases, each lasting three days, with possible extensions to four days if necessary. It will start in central Gaza, followed by the south, and finally the north. The ceasefire will only be in effect during the day, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., to allow vaccine-carrying convoys, which are already stationed at the Egypt-Gaza border, to enter.

World Health Organization (WHO) officials noted that polio vaccines require two doses, so each phase will involve two rounds of vaccination. WHO has identified the Type 2 poliovirus strain in Gaza, where public infrastructure has been severely damaged by the conflict and sanitary conditions have deteriorated significantly, making vaccination an urgent priority.