Amman: International aid organizations and health workers on Wednesday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to enable the start of a polio vaccine campaign.

In a joint statement, 20 international organizations, led by Save the Children, ActionAid and Oxfam, stressed the need to deliver polio vaccines to Gaza as soon as possible, noting that nearly 50,000 children were born during the Israeli war on Gaza, and that their chances of being vaccinated are low due to the collapse of the health system.

They explained that the re-emergence of the polio virus in Gaza is a direct result of the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure and the restrictions imposed by the Israeli government on the entry of vaccines, stressing that overcrowding, displacement, and the collapse of the health system in the Strip caused the spread of the virus.

The organizations stated that polio vaccines are in the region and ready for distribution in August and September, but this requires full access for humanita
rian and relief supplies to Gaza through all border crossings.

Source: Jordan News Agency