United Nations officials expressed cautious optimism on Wednesday as limited pauses in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas enabled the administration of polio vaccinations to children in Gaza. The vaccination campaign, a rare moment of hope amidst nearly a year of warfare, aims to protect children from a potential polio outbreak following the discovery of the first case in the region in 25 years.
Rosemary DiCarlo, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, and Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, emphasized the importance of these temporary ceasefires. Wosornu highlighted how humanitarian objectives can inspire critical action on the ground, stating, “It does not have to be this way. Indeed, over the past few days, there have been signs that humanitarian objectives can inspire positive steps.”
The campaign, launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners, aims to vaccinate 640,000 children in Gaza, with 187,000 children already receiving the polio vaccine. This emergency health intervention follows the recent case of a 10-month-old boy who was paralyzed in one leg due to the virus. The Israeli government has committed to allowing the vaccination program to continue until Monday, with operations running for eight hours each day.
France’s Ambassador to the U.N., Nicolas de Rivière, underscored the need for humanitarian access to be more consistent, calling the vaccination campaign proof that humanitarian work is possible even in conflict zones. “That must become the rule,” de Rivière told the U.N. Security Council.
The meeting was held at the request of Israel and its allies—France, Great Britain, and the United States—all of whom are permanent, veto-wielding members of the council. The discussion was largely focused on hostages taken during Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, which marked the start of the war. Israel’s ambassador stressed the recent killing of six hostages by Hamas and the need to secure their release.
Algeria, a member of the 15-nation council, also called for a broader discussion on the situation in the Palestinian territories, as the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. Health officials have raised alarms about deteriorating conditions in Gaza, where over 40,000 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The crowded, unsanitary conditions in refugee camps and the spread of wastewater have sparked concerns about disease outbreaks, making the vaccination campaign even more urgent.
The October 7 Hamas attacks resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the kidnapping of approximately 250 individuals. Israel’s military response has resulted in heavy casualties, with no clear end to the violence in sight. The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution in June calling for a cease-fire, but no lasting agreement has been reached.
Samuel Žbogar, Slovenia’s ambassador and president of the Security Council for September, expressed growing anxiety over the lack of progress toward a cease-fire. “It has to move, one way or the other,” Žbogar commented, urging further efforts to halt the bloodshed and secure the release of hostages.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
