The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today on X (formerly Twitter) that the second round of the polio vaccination campaign has started in central Gaza.

Humanitarian organizations conducted the first round of vaccinations last month after a case involving an infant who was partially paralyzed after being infected with type 2 poliovirus in August—the first such case in the region in 25 years.

Ceasefires for humanitarian reasons in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip were agreed upon to allow the second round of polio vaccinations for 590,000 children under the age of 10.

The first round of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, which began on September 1, achieved its goal by vaccinating 90% of children under 10. The campaign was carried out in phases over two weeks during humanitarian ceasefires between Israel and Hamas.