The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated 80,000 vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella for children aged up to six years in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement released on Monday by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) of the Israeli Defense Ministry.
The vaccines, which arrived in the Gaza Strip on December 24, are part of UNICEF’s ongoing efforts to support and facilitate humanitarian and medical initiatives for the people of Gaza.
This donation comes at a critical time. Last week, UNICEF reported that over 80% of children in the Gaza Strip were facing acute food shortages, 90% were experiencing water shortages, and half of the enclave’s sanitation and hygiene facilities were either damaged or destroyed.
The World Health Organization has warned that the spread of infectious diseases in the Gaza Strip is “inevitable” due to the dire sanitary conditions and shortage of clean drinking water.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. On October 7, Hamas fired rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. This resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the abduction of some 240 individuals in Israel.
In response, Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and initiated a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Local authorities report that over 20,400 people have been killed in Gaza as a result of these strikes.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce, the exchange of some prisoners and hostages, and the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. However, the ceasefire expired on December 1, and over 100 hostages are still being held captive in the Gaza Strip by Hamas, according to Israel.
The arrival of the vaccines is a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis. However, the situation remains precarious, and further international intervention and aid are urgently needed.
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