The head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, decried the “night of horror” in Gaza following attacks on a hospital and an UNRWA school. Airstrikes hit the Al-Aqsa Hospital and an UNRWA school in Deir el-Balah, resulting in casualties and hindering a polio vaccination campaign. Lazzarini emphasized the need for humanity to prevail in the face of ongoing violence.
The UNRWA condemned Israel’s attack on the school in Nuseirat, where displaced families were seeking shelter. The overnight assault on Al-Aqsa Hospital caused a large fire in a tent encampment, adding to the casualties. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported a significant number of injuries and deaths as a result of Israeli airstrikes in the region.
In response, the UN has called for humanitarian pauses to allow for agencies like UNRWA, UNICEF, and WHO to administer polio vaccinations. However, concerns have been raised about the campaign’s success due to ongoing Israeli restrictions and evacuations in northern Gaza. Continuous truces are essential for health workers to safely carry out vaccination efforts.