The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced plans to vaccinate more than 40,000 children in the Gaza Strip, seizing the opportunity provided by the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The initiative, aimed at combating a range of infectious diseases, is part of a broader effort to restore essential health services in the conflict-ravaged territory.
Phase one of the campaign, launched on 9 November, has already reached over 10,000 children under the age of three. The program, initially scheduled for eight days, has been extended until Saturday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, to ensure broader coverage. Vaccines will target measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, polio, rotavirus, and pneumonia.
Subsequent phases of the campaign are planned for December and January and will be conducted in collaboration with UNICEF, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), and Gaza’s health ministry under Hamas control. The WHO chief emphasised that the ongoing ceasefire is crucial for delivering health services and enabling the reconstruction and re-equipment of Gaza’s severely damaged healthcare system.
“The ceasefire allows WHO and its partners to intensify essential health services across Gaza,” Tedros said. “We are encouraged to see that it continues to hold, giving children a better chance to receive life-saving vaccines.”
The campaign comes in the wake of a UN Security Council vote on 11 November endorsing a US-brokered plan, which helped establish the ceasefire on 10 October. The ceasefire has paused hostilities that began with the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, allowing humanitarian agencies to operate in areas that had previously been inaccessible.
Healthcare workers in Gaza have expressed optimism that the vaccination program will curb outbreaks of preventable diseases, which are a serious concern given the ongoing disruption to medical services and sanitation infrastructure.
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The WHO’s drive underscores the urgent need for continued humanitarian support and international cooperation to rebuild health systems in Gaza. For children, timely vaccinations not only protect against deadly illnesses but also represent a crucial step toward restoring a sense of normalcy in a region long plagued by conflict.
Parents and caregivers are being encouraged to bring children to designated vaccination centres and follow guidance from local health authorities.