Palestinian sources reported yesterday that Israeli forces had killed at least 48 Palestinians in the last 24 hours in the Gaza Strip while fighting militants commanded by Hamas. Meanwhile, medical professionals vaccinated children in the enclave against polio for the second time.
On Sunday, the first day of the campaign, around 80,000 youngsters in central Gaza received vaccinations, according to Palestinian and UN officials.
Israel and Hamas have decided to take short breaks from their hostilities in order to carry out the vaccination program for about 640,000 children. There have been no reports of infractions close to immunization centers.
Meanwhile, after six more hostages were discovered dead in Gaza yesterday, Israeli demonstrators returned to the streets for a second day, and the country’s main trade union called for a nationwide strike to put pressure on the government to find a deal to free the hostages still being held by Hamas.
After the national halt was declared by the leader of the Histadrut union, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers, numerous stores and companies were shuttered and transportation and medical services were interrupted in multiple Israeli areas.
Following the six captives’ discovery over the weekend—who, according to authorities, were shot dead 48 to 72 hours before being discovered by Israeli forces—a wave of sadness and rage swept through Israel, leading at least 500,000 people to take to the streets on Sunday in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Protesters are calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate a cease-fire with Hamas in order to free the remaining 101 hostages.
Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv yesterday, carrying photos of the hostages or waving Israeli flags in blue and white.
US President Joe Biden stated in Washington that he was almost ready to offer a final proposal for a compromise that would free the hostages, but he disagreed with Netanyahu’s actions in trying to get such an arrangement.
Meanwhile, foreign minister David Lammy announced yesterday that Britain would immediately suspend thirty of its three hundred and fifty arms export permits with Israel due to the possibility that such equipment could be used to commit grave breaches of international humanitarian law.
Lammy promised to update an assessment on arms sales to Israel, a British ally, to make sure they adhered to international law shortly after the Labour Party won an election in July.
Palestinian sources reported on Monday that two Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City resulted in the deaths of seven Palestinians, and that two more airstrikes in Bureij and Nuseirat, two of the eight historically significant refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, killed six more.
The Israeli military did not immediately provide a statement.
According to the armed factions of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, fighters using anti-tank rockets and mortar fire have engaged Israeli soldiers in the north, south, and some center parts of Gaza.
The UN organization for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, reiterated its demand for an instant ceasefire yesterday in order to support a safe and effective polio vaccination program.
“According to @WHO, @UNRWA teams & partners reached almost 87,000 youngsters on the first day alone. The statement read, “On the social media site X, efforts are underway to give children this important vaccine, but what they need most is a #CeasefireNow.
Babies under two are particularly vulnerable to the highly contagious virus known as poliomyelitis, which can paralyze and even kill them.
The first incidence of type 2 polio in the region in 25 years was confirmed by the WHO last month, affecting an infant who was partially paralyzed by the virus.
Palestinians claim that the destruction of the majority of Gaza’s hospitals and the collapse of the health sector are major factors in the polio outbreak. Hamas disputes Israel’s accusations that it exploits hospitals for military operations.
An estimated 40,786 Palestinians have been murdered by the Israeli offensive since October 7 of last year. According to the health ministry of the enclave, about 94,000 Palestinians were also hurt yesterday.
