Gaza, Sept 3: Israeli forces have killed at least 48 Palestinians in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian officials. The fatalities occurred as Israeli military operations targeted Hamas militants, while a significant polio vaccination campaign for children continued in the region.Israeli air strikes on Gaza City resulted in the deaths of seven Palestinians, while additional strikes on Bureij and Nuseirat refugee camps claimed the lives of six more. The Israeli military has not yet commented on these reports.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters have engaged Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets and mortar fire across various regions of Gaza. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire to ensure the success of the vaccination campaign. The agency emphasized that despite significant progress, a ceasefire is crucial for the safety of both children and medical personnel.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that routine vaccinations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, have significantly declined, contributing to the resurgence of polio. A recent case of polio in Gaza, the first in 25 years, involved a baby suffering from partial paralysis due to the type 2 polio virus.
Waffa Abdelhadi, a displaced Palestinian mother, expressed relief after vaccinating her children but also voiced a strong desire for an end to the conflict. She navigated war-torn roads to reach the vaccination site in Deir Al-Balah, amid the destruction of residential buildings.
Palestinians attribute the return of polio to the collapse of the health system and the destruction of Gaza’s hospitals, while Israel accuses Hamas of using these facilities for military purposes, a claim Hamas denies.
The ongoing conflict, which began in October 2023 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 94,000 injuries, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
In Israel, protests and a general strike have emerged as citizens demand action from the government to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. The recent discovery of six additional dead hostages has intensified public pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a resolution.