The launch of the United Nations-led emergency polio vaccination campaign in Gaza on September 1st came at a critical humanitarian juncture, as the region grapples with the devastating effects of prolonged conflict. With the aim of immunising over 640,000 children under the age of ten, the vaccination campaign officially began in Gaza’s central areas and involved 2,700 health workers that administered the vaccine in 3 phases, covering the whole of the Gaza Strip. The initiative, backed by the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and other bodies, was possible only after Israel agreed to a “humanitarian pause”.

The international community has quickly shed light on this significant, albeit tentative, step toward addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, emphasised the urgency of the campaign, stating, “We are in a race against time to protect the children of Gaza. For this campaign to succeed, all parties must honour the temporary ceasefires”. Many onlookers have questioned both the feasibility of the campaign and Israel’s willingness to maintain this humanitarian corridor, as vaccination teams are ready to travel “wherever there is a Palestinian child in need, despite the risks”, as stated by Palestinian Deputy Health Minister Yousef Abu Al-Reesh.

Moreover, Chessa Latifi, the deputy director of emergency preparedness and response at Project HOPE, has highlighted how war, forced displacement, and the breakdown of Gaza’s healthcare system could hinder the vaccination campaign, saying, “There’s just no guarantee of safety. These people that need to bring their children to these clinics – first of all, do they have access to the clinics? Do they have fuel or the means to get to the clinics? Is it safe? Is it safe for the staff to get to the clinics? I know that we’ve got these brief humanitarian pauses. But is it sufficient? No”.

While the temporary humanitarian pause is a positive development, the situation remains precarious and severe sanitary issues in Gaza, like the lack of hygiene, sanitation, and clean water, remain unresolved. Though efforts to protect Gaza’s children from polio should be commended, this pause highlights the fragility of the situation, where even basic healthcare efforts require lengthy negotiations. This campaign is a stark reminder of the precarious conditions under which humanitarian work is conducted in conflict zones, underscoring the need for a peaceful solution that prioritises the well-being of civilians, as Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) recently emphasised.

The re-emergence of polio in Gaza, 25 years after its eradication, is a testament to the region’s deteriorating health conditions. Eleven months of incessant Israeli bombardments have decimated Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, leading to a severe drop in immunisation rates. While Gaza could boast of having near-universal polio vaccine coverage rates before the conflict, the relentless destruction of water and sanitation facilities, coupled with the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, has created the perfect breeding ground for severe and dangerous diseases. Due to the severity of polio, which can cause paralysis and death, the UN vaccination campaign will administer 1.26 million doses between the 1^st September to 12^th September, while the second dose will be administered 4 weeks later to every child.

The implications of this campaign extend beyond immediate health concerns. The temporary ceasefire offers a glimpse of what could be achieved through sustained cooperation and is proof that  humanitarian efforts can bring hope and protection to those in need. However, it is still unclear how and when the second doses will be administered, which could entail further complications. Only peace will allow vaccination campaigns to continue unhindered.