For the first time in multiple decades, polio has been detected in Gaza, sparking serious warnings amid the on-going conflict between Israel and Hamas. The International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organisation, has called this a warning signal as it underscores the deteriorating living conditions in the region.
On Thursday, concerns regarding the living circumstances in Gaza were once again highlighted in light of Israel’s recent evacuation orders in the densely populated inner city of Deir al-Balah. The central city has been overwhelmed with displaced residents.
According to the International Rescue Committee, this is the first instance of the polio virus in Gaza in a quarter-century. The spread, some say, is a direct consequence of hospital and water infrastructure destruction, coupled with densely populated living conditions. The spokesperson for the organisation, Dr Jude Senkugu, has pointed out that this could be a precursor for more infectious diseases unless immediate action is taken.
The negligible access to clean water can significantly enhance the risk of disease spread, as people are compelled to resort to contaminated water sources.
As living areas continue to shrink, international healthcare organisation Médecins Sans Frontières has also warned of the potential acceleration of disease transmission.
Meanwhile, Israeli negotiators have made their way to Cairo for continuing ceasefire discussions. Among these negotiators is the chief of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, accompanied by his team, and Brett McGurk, US president Joe Biden’s main envoy for Middle East. The commencement of talks is scheduled for Sunday, subject to change. Mr. Barnea is also set to hold discussions around the war and control of Gaza’s border with Egypt. It remains uncertain whether representatives from the Iran-backed Hamas will attend. With no officials sent for last week’s negotiations in Qatar, mediators have been briefing them instead.
The next meeting hosted in Cairo is just the latest attempt, spanning several months, to bring a halt or at least a pause to the combat triggered by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7th. The assault led to the death of 1,200 individuals and resulted in roughly 240 being taken captive.
In retaliation, Israel orchestrated an aggressive aerial and land attack on Gaza, causing more than 40,000 Palestinian deaths, as reported by the Health Ministry ran by Hamas in the region.