Gaza’s Health Ministry has announced that thousands of vaccines for polio, measles, and other childhood diseases have entered Gaza for the first time since Oct. 7. The ministry said the supplies are estimated to be sufficient to cover vaccinations for between 8 and 14 months. It is also reported that Egypt is helping with the needed cold storage. Tens of thousands of babies have been born who have effectively no access to medical services, obviously including vaccinations. In addition to this, diseases which are normally easy to control are now exploding as an effect of the total destruction of the enclave and its sanitation systems, as EIR has reported already.
Of course, delivering these vaccines will be no easy task given the catastrophic living conditions in Gaza, but are a welcome change from the otherwise cold-blooded indifference regarding the humanitarian situation there.
According to a report in Haaretz on Dec. 31, 2023, the aid trucks currently entering Gaza are still only providing citizens with about 10% of what is needed. “Israeli media is largely hiding from the public the extent of the destruction, death, and humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip as a result of the war,” the newspaper said.
