WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that it had been “a massive success amidst a tragic daily reality of life” for more than two million Gazans who have been caught up in the intense fighting since last October’s terror attacks by Hamas unleashed the war in Gaza.

In three phases over twelve days, from 1 to 12 September, UN agencies and partners provided novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to some 558,963 children, reaching families living in shelters, tents and camps for the displaced.

Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory applauded the “incredible resilience” of health and community workers in conducting the campaign “at an unprecedented scale and speed under the toughest conditions” in the war-battered enclave.

“Swift action by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative – from the moment the virus was detected to the launch of the vaccination campaign – speaks to the effectiveness of the polio programme”, he said.