Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Gaza West Bank topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
UN: Polio campaign reaches 600,000 children in Gaza; hospitals, kitchens and schools see aid and restorations
Summary
UN agencies reported a polio campaign that reached more than 600,000 children across Gaza and described hospital support, food distributions and school reopenings as humanitarian operations scale up despite access constraints.
The United Nations reported that a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza concluded after reaching more than 600,000 children, and that WHO provided supplies to three hospitals and five health partners serving some 250,000 people across the Gaza Strip.
The UN said the World Health Organization supported expansion of triage and emergency services at Al Shifa Hospital by providing tents and an additional 20 beds. UNICEF delivered essential health kits, pediatric medicines and newborn supplies to Al Aouda Hospital in North Gaza. The briefing said partners on the ground have scaled up food security operations: around 860,000 cooked meals were prepared in March and distributed through roughly 180 kitchens — a rise from about 780,000 meals in February — and subsidized bread is available in 24 retail shops in the south to reduce overcrowding at distribution points.
The UN also reported improvements to water infrastructure, saying two water points were established and expanded in North Gaza Governorate and two sections of water networks were repaired to support longer‑term water provision in Khan Younis.
Education officials noted that as of the start of the new academic year on Feb. 23, about 100,000 children have enrolled in schools and 165 public schools had reopened, marking the first in‑person learning for many students in 16 months.
In the West Bank, the UN said Israeli operations continued in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, causing casualties, displacement and diminished access to basic services. The briefing reiterated that international humanitarian law must be respected and called for the protection of civilians.
The spokesperson said these humanitarian gains are fragile and reiterated that access constraints and active hostilities continue to hinder full aid delivery. No new ceasefire arrangement or formal mediation role was announced by the UN at the briefing; Steph said that principal mediators for Gaza ceasefire negotiations remain Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
