At least 48 people were killed in Israeli strikes today in the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Palestinian health authorities said clashes broke out in the central and southern areas of the enclave ahead of the planned start of a polio vaccination campaign.
WHO is to begin vaccinating some 640,000 children in the territory against polio, relying on daily eight-hour pauses in fighting between Israeli forces and "Hamas" in certain areas of the besieged enclave.
„If the international community really wants this campaign to succeed, it must call for a ceasefire, knowing that this virus does not stop and can reach anywhere,” the deputy minister told reporters at the "Nasser” hospital. in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Meanwhile, the Gaza Ministry of Health announced that a campaign to vaccinate children in the enclave against polio and prevent the spread of the virus began today, the Associated Press reported, citing BTA.
A small number of children in the Gaza Strip began receiving vaccinations a day before a large-scale rollout of the vaccines and a planned pause in hostilities agreed by Israel and the UN's World Health Organization. The WHO has confirmed that the larger campaign will start tomorrow.
"There must be a ceasefire so teams can reach everyone targeted by this campaign,” said Dr Youssef Abu ar Reesh, deputy health minister.
Journalists from the Associated Press saw about 10 children who received doses of the vaccine at Nasser Hospital. in Khan Younis.