Israel, UN agree to Gaza pauses for polio vaccinations

Gaza's first case of polio in 25 years was confirmed last week in a 10-month-old boy who is now partially paralyzed

Aid workers unload polio vaccine for Gaza
Aid workers unload polio vaccine for Gaza
(Image credit: Eyad Baba / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

Israel has agreed to a series of staggered "humanitarian pauses" in Gaza to allow United Nations workers to administer polio vaccines to about 640,000 Palestinian children 9 and under, World Health Organization (WHO) official Rik Peeperkorn said yesterday. The first three-day pause in fighting is scheduled to begin this weekend in central Gaza.

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Rafi Schwartz, The Week US

Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.