UN halts humanitarian operations in Gaza amid Israeli evacuation orders
The United Nations said Monday it had been forced to halt its humanitarian operations in Gaza due to a new Israeli evacuation order for the Deir al-Balah area. (Photo by Eyad Baba via AFP)
The United Nations has been forced to suspend its humanitarian operations in Gaza after an Israeli evacuation order, according to a senior U.N. official.
The halt comes at a critical time, as the region faces its first case of polio in 25 years, threatening to delay a major vaccination campaign.
Israel orders evacuation
The decision to stop aid work followed evacuation orders issued by Israeli officials on Sunday night for Deir al-Balah, a central Gaza area where the U.N. coordinates much of its humanitarian activities.
The U.N. official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said that while the U.N. hasn’t formally ordered a cessation, it is currently unable to conduct any aid deliveries. Efforts are ongoing to engage with Israeli authorities to resume operations as soon as possible.
UNRWA continues services amid disruptions
Despite the broader suspension, the U.N.’s primary agency in Gaza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), continues to provide services at its facilities. However, this marks the first time the U.N. has fully halted operations in Gaza, a development the official described as unprecedented.
The interruption could have serious consequences for a U.N.-led polio vaccination campaign scheduled to start later this week. The U.N. plans to distribute approximately 1.2 million doses of the polio vaccine in Gaza, aiming to inoculate over 640,000 Palestinian children.
Polio returns to Gaza after 25 years
Humanitarian organizations have been preparing to launch the vaccination campaign after traces of a polio virus variant were detected in local water sources last month.
The World Health Organization reported that a 10-month-old baby was diagnosed with the disease last week, marking Gaza’s first polio case in over two decades. The WHO had previously declared Gaza polio-free for at least 25 years.
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