The United Nations Relief and Works Agency is sounding the alarm over the unfolding health crisis in Gaza as the sensitive phase of vaccination against poliomyelitis gets underway. Following the diagnosis of a baby boy with polio last month—the first in the region in 25 years—UNRWA, in cooperation with the WHO and UNICEF, headed an emergency vaccination campaign as an attempt to contain the virus. Despite an 11-month-long conflict by Israel against Hamas, so far the campaign has been able to vaccinate close to 187,000 children in central Gaza during the first three days.
Part of the blame for the resurgence of polio was fully laid on the complete collapse of the health infrastructure in Gaza. Years of conflict had completely decimated hospitals and clinics, thus making access even to simple medication nearly impossible for the population. The blockade and restrictions on the movement of people and goods have further exacerbated the humanitarian situation by greatly limiting the availability of medical supplies.
UN Calls for Permanent Ceasefire
UN officials declared the progress in the vaccination campaign important but added that a permanent ceasefire will ensure that no more humanitarian catastrophes occur. The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, resorted to social media to make the urgency heard: “While these polio pauses are giving people some respite, what urgently needs to happen is a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and the standard flow of humanitarian supplies, including medical and hygiene supplies into Gaza,” he said.
But although the vaccination program has gone well, it is no more than a short-term patch. The daily eight-hour hold in hostilities, agreed upon by Israel and Hamas to allow for the vaccination drives, cannot substitute for permanent peace. The UN has repeatedly urged a cease-fire, to protect the safety of the health workers and the delivery of ongoing services to the population.
Challenges in Providing Aid
Ultimately, this vaccination drive has succeeded despite so many adverse logistic conditions. The Gaza Strip is one of the most difficult areas to manage any health program due to the large population of 2.3 million in a tiny country. Supplying vaccines and other medical supplies has been a nightmare because of the active conflict coupled with the razing of so much infrastructure in the region.
According to COGAT-the Israeli defense ministry agency in charge of coordinating aid deliveries, about 554,512 vials of vaccines have entered Gaza since hostilities began. These include the polio vaccine for as many as 2.8 million doses-282,126 vials. But UN officials warn that these efforts may be derailed if the conflict is allowed to rage unabated.
Palestinians and humanitarian organizations have blamed the increase of diseases like polio on the targeted destruction of health facilities. The issue had been further convoluted by accusations from Israel that Hamas is using the hospitals as a cover for military operations-allegations the group has denied. And that is how such outbreaks of preventable diseases happen because of the destruction and repurposing of medical facilities.
Diplomatic Deadlock and Growing Tensions
With the war having reached a crescendo, calling for an urgent ceasefire, diplomatic efforts have reached a stalemate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dug in his heels by declaring that Israeli forces would not withdraw from Gaza’s Philadelphi corridor, a critical area bordering Egypt. This has emerged as one of the major stumbling blocks in talks with Hamas demanding, on its part, that any agreement must involve the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the region.
The deadlock has frustrated Washington’s international allies and members of the United Nations Security Council. Slovenia’s UN ambassador, president of the council for September, warned that the global body could be compelled to act if a cease-fire cannot be arranged soon. To date, over 40,800 Palestinian lives have been lost in the protracted war, according to Gaza’s health ministry-a number that continues to climb.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military maintains there are continuous operations to neutralize Hamas militants; precision strikes against the Hamas command centers and eliminating their senior operatives have also been taking place. These types of actions have resulted in a large number of civilian casualties as well, adding fuel to the fire in the region.
As the conflict drags on, there is no end to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. The UN and other international bodies have been pressing for a ceasefire-not just to bring an end to the bloodshed but also, amongst other things, to let in the aid so desperately needed. The polio vaccination campaign is an essential intervention; it hardly represents one of the many undertakings needed to attend to the general health and humanitarian needs of the Gazans.
Without a permanent ceasefire, the region stands at the edge of catastrophe, and the most vulnerable pay the highest price of all-so many children among them. The international community’s call for peace gets ever louder. Yet the road toward resolution is thick with impediments.
