Over 181,000 children vaccinated in 2nd round of polio campaign in central Gaza: WHO chief

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that the number of children who received a second dose of the polio vaccine in the central Gaza Strip surpassed 181,000.

Noting that the second dose concluded Wednesday in central Gaza, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that more than 148,000 children received vitamin A supplements.

"Eight health facilities in the area will continue to provide polio vaccines for families who hadn't managed to bring their children in for vaccination in the past three days," he added.

Tedros said the WHO and partners are continuing to plan and transport vaccines and other supplies for the second-dose vaccination in southern Gaza, which is scheduled to start Friday.

"We call for humanitarian pauses to remain respected, so all children can be protected. We call for a ceasefire and peace," he added.

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

More than 42,400 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 99,100 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of Gaza amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.