Polio returns to Gaza: Where else has the virus re-emerged?
Al JazeeraAug 28
UNRWA: Gaza Polio Vaccine Drive Has Reached 90% of Children
Above: Members of the Egyptian Red Crescent stand in front of the Rafah crossing during a visit by Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell on Sept. 9, 2024 in Rafah, Egypt. Image copyright: Ali Moustafa/Stringer/Getty Images Europe via Getty Images
The Facts
The UN's primary agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday that a drive to vaccinate against polio in Gaza had reached 90% of children in the strip. It added that the next step would be a second round of vaccinations at the end of the month.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the campaign had been a "massive success," even under incredibly challenging conditions, noting that local pauses in fighting to ensure vaccine administration had held up.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Humanitarian pauses are necessary to ensure that Gaza's children are protected from polio. Both sides need to respect a temporary truce so that health workers can administer vaccines effectively. Israel has worked with the US and humanitarian agencies to help make this process smoother.
Pro-Israel narrative
Though Israel is committed to its war goals and the release of all hostages, a polio outbreak in Gaza would be a disaster for both Palestinians and Israelis. Israel has not accepted a cease-fire or a temporary truce that applies to all of Gaza, as the agreement stipulates that specific areas will see a cessation of hostilities.
Pro-Palestine narrative
The US has consistently failed to address Israel's intransigence regarding the situation in Gaza. Allowing for a vaccination campaign is the bare minimum in terms of reducing the suffering of Palestinians who are still facing Israel's genocidal war.