The WHO delegate in the occupied Palestinian territories is Rik Peeperkorn, who said that the cessation of hostilities is not the most appropriate scenario for carrying out the vaccination campaign, but has ensured that if the parties comply they will.

The Gaza Ministry of Health discovered the first case of polio in a 10-month-old child in central Gaza on 16 August. There have been no such cases in the Gaza Strip for 25 years. The vaccination campaign will begin in the south and end in the north, and to be carried out by WHO there will be 392 fixed places in Gaza. In addition, an additional 300 places will be mobile care for families with mobility problems. In all cases, a second vaccine will be given after four weeks. Each area shall have three days to complete the campaign and six hours a day. The Israeli Army has announced that if they need a fourth day of life, they will be given the opportunity to do so.

Hamas has also been pleased with the vaccination and has said that, for its part, it will contribute to its implementation. The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip has confirmed that 1.2 million vaccines have been purchased. This initiative aims to vaccinate 640,000 children under 10 years of age. The campaign will involve WHO, UNICEF and UNRWA workers. The Israeli army has reported that it has already vaccinated all soldiers working in the Gaza Strip with polio.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Army has carried out more than 30 attacks in the last 24 hours in Gaza and has left dozens of deaths. Israel has already caused more than 40,700 deaths in direct attacks since 7 October in Gaza and it is estimated that more than 10,000 people are under the rubble of the buildings.