Israeli Bombardment Claims Dozens in Gaza Amid Polio Campaign Preparations

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least 48 individuals on Saturday, according to Palestinian health authorities. The strikes occurred amidst ongoing clashes in central and southern regions of the enclave, just before the anticipated commencement of a polio vaccination campaign.

The United Nations plans to vaccinate around 640,000 children against polio in the territory, requiring daily eight-hour pauses in hostilities between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in designated areas of the heavily besieged enclave.

Yousef Abu Al-Reesh, the deputy minister of health in Gaza, emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive ceasefire. He stated that while vaccination teams are prepared to cover as many areas as possible, only a ceasefire could ensure that a sufficient number of children can be vaccinated.

“If the international community truly wants this campaign to succeed, it should call for a ceasefire, knowing that this virus does not stop and can reach anywhere,” Abu Al-Reesh remarked during a press conference at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

On the same day, health workers administered vaccinations to several children in the wards of Nasser Hospital as a symbolic gesture prior to the official launch of the campaign.

This vaccination drive follows the confirmation of a recent case where a baby was partially paralyzed by type 2 polio virus, marking the first occurrence of this kind in the territory in 25 years.

Health officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) have indicated that for the campaign to be successful, at least 90% of children need to receive two vaccine doses with a four-week interval. However, Gaza faces monumental hurdles, having been extensively devastated by nearly 11 months of ongoing conflict.

As over 2,000 medical and community workers geared up for the vaccination initiative, reports from medics in Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s historical refugee camps, indicated that separate Israeli strikes claimed the lives of at least 19 people, including nine members of a single family. Additionally, medics noted that more than 30 other fatalities occurred in a series of strikes across various locales in Gaza.

Residents and militant sources reported fierce battles between Hamas fighters, Islamic Jihad, and other factions against Israeli forces in the Zeitoun neighborhood of northern Gaza, where tanks have been engaged in operations for several days. Clashes were also noted in Rafah, near the Egypt border.

According to a statement from the Israeli military, operations were ongoing in central and southern Gaza, targeting militants and dismantling military infrastructure in Gaza City. Israeli forces also reported finding weapons and killing gunmen in Tel Al-Sultan, a region in western Rafah.

In Khan Younis, following the conclusion of a 22-day offensive aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping, families began to return to their neighborhoods. Footage revealed widespread destruction, with buildings and infrastructure severely damaged. Medics reported recovering at least nine bodies from areas previously targeted by the army.

This latest escalation in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict was sparked by a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the taking of around 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources.

According to local health authorities, Israel’s military campaign against Hamas has led to the deaths of over 40,600 Palestinians. The entire population of Gaza, which stands at 2.3 million, has been largely displaced, and the region is grappling with a severe hunger crisis. In this context, Israel faces allegations of genocide at the World Court, a charge it vehemently denies.

Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces continued their military operations in the city of Jenin, with drones and helicopters overhead, and sporadic gunfire reported throughout the city.

Source: USA Today