ALBAWABA - The World Health Organization said Wednesday that the planned polio campaign in northern Gaza has been postponed until further notice because of the risk imposed by Israel as it continues to pound the already devastated enclave.
According to WHO, since October 14, the campaign to provide Gazan children under the age of ten a second oral polio dosage has been implemented effectively in the central and southern parts of the besieged enclave, reaching about 442,885 children.
The WHO released a statement announcing the news. "Due to the escalating violence, intense bombardment, mass displacement orders, and lack of assured humanitarian pauses across most of northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza… and partners have been compelled to postpone the third phase of the polio vaccination campaign, which was set to begin today" the statement reads.
According to WHO, the current increase in violence makes the last part of the vaccination campaign hard to carry out. Israel's mass evacuation orders for residents still living in Jabalia and other places outside of Gaza City would also have limited the campaign's impact, according to WHO.
The heightened violence has also hampered medical evacuations and the supply of critical medical supplies to hospitals that are still partially operational, they said in a separate statement on Tuesday.
On a high-risk trip to northern Gaza on October 20-21, WHO evacuated 14 patients and 10 caregivers but was unable to transport "critical medical supplies, blood, and fuel" to the two Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda Hospitals, which are still partially operational in Gaza.
Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel
Hamas military group announced on Oct. 7 a military operation called "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel which is the biggest offensive in decades.
Palestinian fighters “infiltrated” Israel from the Gaza Strip and captured military bases and took hostages as photos and videos went viral online showing Hamas fighters on vehicles inside Israel and others paragliding into occupation territory.
In response, Israeli armed forces announced targeting Hamas positions inside the Gaza Strip. Thousands were killed, and dozens of thousands of others were injured in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
