Gaza Strip: Polio Vaccination Campaign Suspended Amid New Israeli Airstrikes

The devastating airstrikes by Israel on the Gaza Strip continue, with the Palestinian health authority announcing today (April 22, 2025) that at least 25 Palestinians were killed in fresh Israeli attacks. This marks one of the most intense bombing barrages carried out by Israel in recent weeks, as the Palestinian healthcare system faces total collapse due to the Israeli blockade. The Hamas Health Ministry reported that the polio vaccination campaign, which aimed to immunize over 600,000 children in collaboration with the UN, has been suspended, raising fears of a resurgence of the disease in Gaza. Khalil Degran, a representative of the Health Ministry, warned that the disruption of medical supplies puts hundreds of thousands of patients at risk. If vaccines do not arrive soon, “we are expecting a real catastrophe,” he emphasized, adding that children and patients should not be used as pawns for political leverage. According to Degran, 60,000 children are showing signs of malnutrition. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are underway in Egypt, where a Hamas delegation is headed to Cairo to discuss new ceasefire proposals after 18 months of conflict. Sources indicate that discussions will focus on a five-to-seven-year truce, the release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, an official end to the war, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave. However, Israel has yet to respond to these proposals, demanding the disarmament of Hamas—a condition rejected by the group. Earlier today, at least 25 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting homes, refugee camps, and roads. Since March 2025, Israel has imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, banning any aid from entering. According to the Hamas Health Ministry, at least 1,864 Palestinians have died since then, bringing the total death toll since the start of the war in October 2023 to 51,240. Israel claims sufficient supplies entered during a six-week ceasefire, but aid organizations warn of an impending famine and widespread disease outbreaks among Gaza’s population.