What We Know About the Polio Crisis in Gaza
New York TimesAug 20
WHO: Polio Vaccination Campaign Ahead of Target for Gaza Children
Image copyright: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus [via X]
The Facts
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday — which is day three of a polio vaccination drive in Gaza — that it was ahead of its targets, inoculating about a quarter of children under 10. The WHO said that around 161K children under 10 in central Gaza had been vaccinated, exceeding the expected 150K.
The WHO aims to vaccinate 640K children in the campaign. Israel agreed to temporary pauses in specific regions of the strip to facilitate the campaign, though fighting has continued in other areas. The campaign will next focus on southern Gaza and then the north.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
With the clock ticking, the US and its allies are confident that after some tough negotiating, a deal between Israel and Hamas can be reached. A guaranteed end to the war will ensure increased humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, the release of Israeli hostages, and create a better "day after" in Gaza without Hamas in power. The US will continue to work toward closing the gaps and ensuring peace and stability.
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. This demonstrates Israel's ethical and humanitarian stance in this conflict.
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. This has been a catastrophic failure of the West and the humanitarian system — assistance must be freely delivered into, and throughout, Gaza immediately.