Polio Vaccines Give Gaza Families All Too Brief Respite from War

Palestinian children, accompanied by parents, wait to be vaccinated against polio, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinian children, accompanied by parents, wait to be vaccinated against polio, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)
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Polio Vaccines Give Gaza Families All Too Brief Respite from War

Palestinian children, accompanied by parents, wait to be vaccinated against polio, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinian children, accompanied by parents, wait to be vaccinated against polio, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, September 4, 2024. (Reuters)

Anxious parents lining up with their children for a polio vaccine in central Gaza were counting down the hours until a pause in fighting ends in the area on Wednesday, threatening more death and destruction in the 11-month-old war.

As health officials administered the doses, Gazan mother Huda Sheikh Ali wondered what good the polio vaccination campaign could do when her children would soon face more Israeli air strikes and shelling.

"There is no protection for them, in just a short few hours the ceasefire will end and we will return to seeing children bombed and killed. There is no protection from these things," she said.

"We managed to take a breather for a few hours, for our child ... imagine what it would be like with a permanent ceasefire. The children are dying every single day and they are giving us some vaccines for polio?"

The campaign was prompted by the discovery of a case of polio in a baby boy last month, the first in the Gaza Strip for 25 years. Israel and Hamas agreed to daily pauses of eight hours in the fighting in pre-specified areas to allow the vaccination program. No violations have been reported.

But a permanent end to the war is not in sight. Diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire, release hostages held in Gaza and return many Palestinians jailed by Israel have faltered.

The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's subsequent assault on Hamas-governed Gaza has killed more than 40,861 Palestinians and injured 94,398, according to the Gaza health ministry. The ministry reported at the end of July that 10,627 children had been killed.

Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been uprooted from their homes and many families have moved repeatedly up and down the Gaza Strip in search of safe shelter.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Wednesday it was making good progress in rolling out a polio vaccine, but called for a permanent ceasefire to ease humanitarian suffering.

UNRWA said that three days into the campaign in areas of central Gaza, around 187,000 children had received the vaccine. The campaign will move to other areas of the territory in the second stage.

Palestinians say a key reason for the return of polio is the collapse of Gaza's health system and the destruction of most of its hospitals during the war. Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes, something the group denies.

Hadeel Darbiyeh, who brought her infant daughter for the polio vaccination, said she shared the pessimism of other parents in Gaza.

"Instead of bringing the vaccines, bring us a solution to stop the war," she said. "Bring us a solution for the oppressed people who have all been forced to flee their homes and into tents."



German Foreign Ministry Backs Kurdish Dialogue with Damascus

German Ambassador Tobias Tunkel with the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria. (SDF)
German Ambassador Tobias Tunkel with the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria. (SDF)
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German Foreign Ministry Backs Kurdish Dialogue with Damascus

German Ambassador Tobias Tunkel with the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria. (SDF)
German Ambassador Tobias Tunkel with the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria. (SDF)

Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the German Foreign Ministry Tobias Tunkel said that protecting the rights and interests of Syrian Kurds can be best achieved through an internal dialogue with Damascus.

His statement followed a recent meeting between Tunkel and Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), along with officials from the Kurdish Autonomous Administration in Al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria.

In a tweet on the X platform on Monday, Tunkel shared a photo of his meeting with Abdi. He indicated that they discussed pressing issues that require resolution through direct communication between the SDF leadership and Damascus’ military operations command.

The meeting is part of broader international efforts to stabilize the region, prevent a devastating war involving regional powers, and promote internal Syrian dialogue. The aim is to ensure the inclusion of all parties, social groups, and political forces to achieve security, stability, economic prosperity, and reconstruction.

Abdi stressed the need for all Syrians, regardless of their backgrounds, to have a role in governing their country.

He praised Germany’s support for the SDF, stating on his X account: “Germany’s support for the Syrian people in building their state on the principles of freedom, democracy, and equality, while ensuring the inclusion of all components in governance, is deeply welcomed and appreciated.”

He also commended Germany’s contribution to the international coalition’s operations against ISIS, stressing: “We highly value Germany’s role in supporting our forces in combating terrorism and extremism, which helps pave the way for a brighter future for all Syrians.”

This visit marks the second official engagement by a Western diplomat this week, following the visit of former US Ambassador Robert Ford and his meeting with SDF leaders.

Discussions are focused on achieving a political resolution and determining the future of the SDF, which is a coalition of Arab and Kurdish forces, primarily the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). The YPG receives military and logistical support from a US-led international coalition and is considered a vital ally in the fight against ISIS by Washington, though Türkiye regards it as a national security threat.

SDF head of Public Relations Sihanouk Dibo described the recent visits by US, German, and French delegations as encouraging. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he emphasized that the Autonomous Administration values any initiative that supports resolving the Kurdish issue in Syria, which he views as fundamental to addressing regional crises and ensuring stability.

“Germany’s supportive role complements Washington’s exceptional efforts, including the success of General Mazloum Abdi’s initiative and his meeting with (former President of the Kurdistan Region) President Masoud Barzani. This is a significant and positive step,” he added.

Dibo also highlighted the importance of dialogue between Damascus and the SDF leadership to restore Syrian sovereignty and resolve disputes. He called for “the formation of specialized and technical committees to address all issues and differences.”

In a related development, the Autonomous Administration called on the Syrian people, the international community, and humanitarian organizations to take action to curb Turkish aggression and stop attacks by its affiliated factions on Tishrin Dam.

In a statement published on its official platforms, it urged the deployment of international forces to protect the dam, warning of catastrophic consequences should it collapse, including the flooding of large populated areas and the destruction of numerous villages along the riverbanks.