Israel and Hamas Agree to Ceasefire to Distribute Polio Vaccine
Israel and Hamas Agree to Ceasefire to Distribute Polio Vaccine
In a positive development, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a series of brief ceasefires in different parts of Gaza to safely distribute the polio vaccine.** This is a crucial step towards protecting more than 650,000 Palestinian children from the virus, which was found in the sewage system two months ago. The short pauses will be daylight-only and may be extended based on the progress. The UN is hoping to vaccinate an estimated 640,000 children in Gaza. Hamas official Basem Naim welcomed the news, and the US secretary of state Antony Blinken has also reportedly demanded Israel to facilitate the vaccine distribution. The temporary pauses might build confidence for a more substantial ceasefire and hostage release deal in the future.