The U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, has reported a successful polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, reaching 189,000 children, surpassing its initial target. This achievement is seen as a rare bright spot in the nearly 11 months of ongoing conflict in the region.
UNICEF deployed over 500 teams across central Gaza to administer the polio vaccine to children under 10 years old. Both Israel and Hamas cooperated by observing limited pauses in the fighting to facilitate the campaign. The success of this initiative has prompted U.N. agencies to consider expanding the vaccination efforts to the more severely affected northern and southern areas of the territory, with a goal of reaching a total of 640,000 children.
The urgency of the vaccination campaign was underscored by Gaza's first reported polio case in 25 years, involving a 10-month-old boy who is now paralyzed in the leg. Health experts have expressed concerns about potential disease outbreaks in the region, given the high number of displaced individuals and widespread hunger. Many residents are living in overcrowded tent camps with limited access to public services.
Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Detained in Denmark During Anti-Israel Demonstration
In a separate incident, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was among six individuals detained in Denmark for demonstrating against the University of Copenhagen's collaboration with Israeli universities and voicing pro-Palestinian sentiments. The group was held on suspicion of trespassing after briefly occupying one of the university's entrances. They were later released by the authorities.
The demonstration involved hanging an anti-Israel banner from a window of the university's old administration building in downtown Copenhagen, leading to police intervention and the removal of the protesters.
