Israeli Military Denies Strike on Gaza Vaccination Clinic

Palestinians fill containers with clean water in the midst of the devastation in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on November 3, 2024. (AFP)
Palestinians fill containers with clean water in the midst of the devastation in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on November 3, 2024. (AFP)
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Israeli Military Denies Strike on Gaza Vaccination Clinic

Palestinians fill containers with clean water in the midst of the devastation in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on November 3, 2024. (AFP)
Palestinians fill containers with clean water in the midst of the devastation in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on November 3, 2024. (AFP)

The Israeli military denied on Monday that it had hit a clinic in the northern Gaza Strip where health workers were carrying out polio vaccinations.

On Saturday, the Gaza health ministry said Israeli fire had hit the Sheikh Radwan clinic as parents brought their children in to be vaccinated. It said four children had been wounded in the explosion, which took place during an agreed humanitarian pause to allow the campaign to go ahead.

The military said it was aware of the reports but said an initial review showed its forces had not carried out any strikes when the incident took place.

"Contrary to the claims, an initial review determined that the IDF did not strike in the area at the specified time," it said in a statement.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the incident had taken place just after a WHO team was at the clinic and that it had endangered a vital health protection campaign.

"These vital humanitarian-area-specific pauses must be absolutely respected. Ceasefire!" he said in a statement on the social media platform X on Saturday.

The Israeli military accused the Palestinian group Hamas of deliberately operating out of civilian areas to use people as human shields, a charge that Hamas denies.

With access to the area cut off and communications patchy, outside verification of the assertions of either side has become increasingly difficult.



World Food Program Condemns Israeli Attack on Its Gaza Convoy

People and first responders inspect the rubble of a collapsed residential building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the Saraya area in al-Rimal in central Gaza City on January 4, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
People and first responders inspect the rubble of a collapsed residential building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the Saraya area in al-Rimal in central Gaza City on January 4, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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World Food Program Condemns Israeli Attack on Its Gaza Convoy

People and first responders inspect the rubble of a collapsed residential building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the Saraya area in al-Rimal in central Gaza City on January 4, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
People and first responders inspect the rubble of a collapsed residential building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the Saraya area in al-Rimal in central Gaza City on January 4, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)

The UN World Food Program said on Monday that Israeli forces had opened fire on one of its convoys in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza in what it called a "horrifying incident".

The agency said the convoy of three vehicles carrying eight staff members from central Gaza to Gaza City in the north was struck by 16 bullets near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint on Sunday, causing no injuries but immobilizing the convoy.

The vehicles were clearly marked and had received prior security clearances from Israeli authorities, a WFP statement said.

"The World Food Program (WFP) strongly condemns the horrifying incident on January 5," it said.

"This unacceptable event is just the latest example of the complex and dangerous working environment that WFP and other agencies are operating in today," WFP said, calling for improvements in security conditions to allow aid to continue.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the incident.

International aid agencies working to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza have frequently accused Israeli forces of hampering or threatening their operations amid Israel's campaign to wipe out Hamas fighters.