2nd phase of polio vaccination campaign kicks off in southern Gaza

Crowds of Palestinians are gathered at medical centers in the south of the Gaza Strip to have their children vaccinated against polio, the start of the second stage of a campaign that has so far seen 187,000 youngsters inoculated.

The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA says the campaign, facilitated by Israel and the Hamas terror group agreeing on limited pauses in their fighting, is so far successful but complex.

Vaccinations begin in Rafah and Khan Younis in the south of Gaza, both areas that have been battered by the war and have hosted tens of thousands of people who have fled other parts of the Strip.

“The #polio vaccination campaign has moved to #Gaza southern areas today. @UNRWA teams are in Khan Younis this morning, working with partners to provide the vaccine to children,” UNRWA says in a statement.

“At this critical time, area pauses must be respected to protect families and humanitarian workers,” it says.