In a worrying development, doctors in Gaza have detected a case of polio in a 10-month-old child from Deir al-Balah, marking the first such case in 25 years. The child, who had not received any polio vaccinations, tested positive for the virus, which was also detected in environmental samples from Gaza’s Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah earlier this year.
Polio is a highly contagious disease, particularly dangerous for children under five, as it can lead to paralysis or even death in severe cases. The resurgence of the virus in Gaza underscores the severe public health crisis facing the region’s two million residents, who have been living under intense conflict since Israel launched military actions in response to Hamas’ attack in October of the previous year. This ongoing conflict has devastated Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, with the health ministry reporting that 80% of it has been destroyed.
Amid these dire conditions, UNICEF and Gaza’s health ministry are planning a vaccination campaign targeting over 640,000 children under the age of 10 across the enclave, with more than a million doses of the vaccine available. However, international aid agencies, including the World Health Organization and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, have called for a pause in hostilities to ensure the success of this campaign. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that peace is the “ultimate vaccine” against the spread of polio, stressing the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Hamas has welcomed the call for a “polio pause,” but local health authorities in Gaza have warned that vaccination efforts alone will not suffice without addressing the underlying sanitation issues exacerbated by the conflict. With most hospitals in Gaza out of service or only partially operational due to the destruction and displacement of medical staff, the region is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
As the situation remains dire, international mediators are pushing for a broader ceasefire and a hostage deal, which could help facilitate the much-needed vaccination drive and provide some relief to Gaza’s embattled population.
