JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, Palestine issued a stern warning on Sunday, calling Israel's blockade on the delivery of the polio vaccine a threatening "health catastrophe".
The Ministry of Health described the ban as a "time bomb" that could trigger widespread epidemics.
"This policy directly targets Gaza's children," the statement stressed, quoted from the Daily Sabah April 8.
The ministry also warned that preventing the entry of the polio vaccine could undermine months of efforts to combat the disease in the region.
"More than 602,000 children in Gaza are at risk of experiencing permanent paralysis and chronic defects if the vaccine ban continues," he said.
Furthermore, the ministry appealed to the international community to pressure Israel to allow access to polio vaccines in these war-torn areas. In addition, the ministry also called for a safe passage across Gaza "to ensure children in all Gaza regions can be vaccinated."
Human rights organizations, along with international agencies, have repeatedly warned of the severe consequences of Israel's strict blockade of Gaza, which has led to widespread hunger and collapse of basic services.
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Nearly 50,700 Palestinians have been killed in the enclave in Israel's brutal attacks since October 2023, most of them women and children.
An International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant last November against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
In addition, Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court over its war in the enclave.
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