Gaza's Health Ministry issued a stark warning on Sunday, calling Israel's blockade on polio vaccine shipments a looming "health disaster."
The ministry described the ban as a "time bomb" that could trigger a widespread epidemic.
“This policy directly targets the children of Gaza,” the statement emphasized.
It also cautioned that preventing the entry of polio vaccines could undo months of efforts to combat the disease in the region.
"Over 602,000 children in Gaza are at risk of permanent paralysis and chronic disabilities if the ban on vaccines continues," it said.
The ministry appealed to the international community to pressure Israel to allow access to the polio vaccines in the war-ravaged territory. It also called for safe passages across Gaza "to ensure that children in all areas of Gaza can be vaccinated."
Human rights organizations, along with international bodies, have repeatedly warned of severe consequences from Israel’s tight blockade of Gaza, which has led to widespread hunger and the collapse of basic services.
Nearly 50,700 Palestinians have been killed in the enclave in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
