Israel Report of attack on polio vaccination center in Gaza Strip

As the polio vaccination campaign continues in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, the World Health Organization (WHO) says it has received a report of an attack on a vaccination center. "Six people, including four children, were injured," wrote the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on X. He did not initially say who attacked the medical center on Saturday. There had been a tactical ceasefire in the area due to the ongoing vaccination campaign.

According to medical circles in the Gaza Strip, at least three children were injured. According to the sources, the attack was carried out by Israel's army. The information could not initially be independently verified.

A spokesperson for the Israeli military wrote on X that Israel's army was aware of the reports of Palestinian casualties at the vaccination center. Contrary to the claims, however, an initial check revealed that the Israeli army had not attacked in the area at the time of the incident.

Hamas did not initially comment on the incident.

A WHO team had been on site shortly before the incident, Tedros added. "This attack during the humanitarian pause jeopardizes the sanctity of child health protection and could discourage parents from bringing their children for vaccination," the WHO chief warned.

The vaccination campaign in the northern part of the Gaza Strip had already been interrupted in October due to heavy fighting. The vaccinations in the affected medical center continued, according to medical circles in the Gaza Strip.