UNICEF said yesterday that Israel continues to block essential supplies, including syringes for vaccinating children and feeding bottles for babies, from entering Gaza, preventing aid agencies from reaching those most in need in the war-torn territory.
As UNICEF carries out a mass vaccination campaign for children amid a fragile ceasefire, the organization says it is facing serious obstacles in its efforts to deliver 1,6 million syringes and solar-powered refrigerators to store vaccines to Gaza. According to UNICEF, the syringes have been awaiting customs clearance since August.
“Both the syringes and... the refrigerators are considered dual-use items by Israel, and it is very difficult to get approval and pass inspection, even though these are urgently needed items,” said UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pires.
The term “dual-use” refers to items that Israel believes could have both military and civilian uses.
UNICEF launched the first of three rounds of catch-up immunization on Sunday, aiming to reach more than 40.000 children under the age of three who missed out on routine vaccinations against polio, measles and pneumonia during the two-year war in Gaza.
"The vaccination campaign has begun, but we have two more phases ahead, and for that we need additional supplies," Pires said.
UNICEF said that more humanitarian aid is now entering Gaza than before, but that Israeli authorities continue to deny the entry of some key items, including 938.000 bottles of ready-made baby formula and spare parts for water tankers.
"That's almost a million bottles that could reach children suffering from varying levels of malnutrition," Pires said at a press conference in Geneva.
The ceasefire reached on October 10 was supposed to allow a massive increase in the flow of aid into the enclave, but aid agencies reiterate that the amount entering is still not enough to meet the needs of the largely displaced and malnourished population of two million people.
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