Israeli Strikes Result in 27 Palestinian Deaths in Gaza as Polio Vaccination Resumes – Reuters

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) – Israeli military strikes claimed the lives of at least 27 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Friday, according to medical sources. This escalation coincided with health officials resuming a vaccination campaign for tens of thousands of children in the area against polio.

In Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, an airstrike resulted in the deaths of two women and two children. Additionally, eight others died in two separate airstrikes in Gaza City, with more fatalities reported from subsequent strikes throughout the enclave.

Israeli forces have been engaged in confrontations with Hamas-led militants in Gaza City’s Zeitoun suburb, where locals reported that tanks have been active for over a week. Clashes were also noted in the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Younis and in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, where Israeli forces reportedly demolished several homes.

As the conflict enters its eleventh month, numerous diplomatic efforts have yet to yield a ceasefire agreement. These efforts aim to secure the release of both Israeli and foreign hostages captured in Gaza, as well as many Palestinians detained in Israel.

Both parties continue to hold each other responsible for the failure of mediation initiatives led by countries including Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The U.S. is preparing to introduce a new ceasefire proposal to address ongoing disagreements, although the outlook for a resolution remains bleak.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the need for both Israel and Hamas to make concessions on the outstanding issues to achieve a ceasefire. He noted that while nearly 90% of the ceasefire terms have been settled, significant gaps remain, particularly concerning the Philadelphi corridor along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. Israel has indicated it will not vacate this corridor, whereas Hamas stated that its involvement hinges on Israel’s withdrawal.

In the meantime, residents of Khan Younis and displaced families from Rafah have been flocking to medical facilities to have their children vaccinated against polio. This campaign was launched following the identification of a case involving a one-year-old infant who was partially paralyzed—the first reported instance of polio in Gaza in 25 years, coinciding with the collapse of the region’s health infrastructure due to ongoing conflict.

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees announced that at least 160,000 children received polio vaccinations in southern Gaza as the second phase of the campaign commenced, made possible by temporary agreements between Israel and Hamas to pause hostilities.

According to UNRWA, nearly 355,000 children have been vaccinated against polio in central and southern Gaza since September 1. The goal is to reach around 640,000 children under the age of ten with this crucial vaccine.

Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s Director of Communications, lauded the vaccination initiative as a vital step forward. She mentioned collaboration with UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and local health organizations to ensure that every child in Gaza receives the vaccine promptly.

"While these temporary pauses to hostilities are welcomed, they do not substitute our urgent call for a long-term ceasefire. It is time to finalize an agreement that provides relief for the people of Gaza and allows for the release of all hostages, alongside the regular flow of humanitarian and commercial supplies," Touma stated.

The vaccination campaign is set to shift to northern Gaza on Sunday, targeting areas heavily affected by the ongoing military operations over the past 11 months. The World Health Organization has indicated that a second round of vaccinations will be needed four weeks after the initial round.

The recent violence in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict was initiated on October 7, when Hamas-led militants launched an assault on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the capture of about 250 hostages, as reported by Israeli sources.

Since then, Israeli retaliatory actions against the Hamas-controlled enclave have led to the deaths of over 40,800 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry. This conflict has also displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, creating a severe hunger crisis and raising allegations of genocide at the World Court, which Israel has denied.

The United Nations reports that at least 1.9 million people—approximately nine in ten residents—across the Gaza Strip are internally displaced, with many having relocated multiple times.

(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Editing by William Maclean and Mark Heinrich)