Israel-Hamas agree to humanitarian ceasefire in 3 stages, UN calls for end to violence in West Bank

The Israeli army and Hamas have agreed to pause fighting in three separate phases to vaccinate some 640,000 children in Gaza against polio.

The first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years (in yellow shirt) is being cared for in the family's tent in the center of the Gaza Strip on August 28. (Source: Reuters)

The above information was given by Mr. Rik Peeperkorn, a senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO) in charge of regional health on August 29.

According to the AP news agency, Mr. Peeperkorn said that the vaccination campaign is expected to begin on September 1 in central Gaza with a three-day pause in fighting, then move to southern Gaza and then northern Gaza under similar conditions.

There was an agreement to extend the humanitarian ceasefire by one day in each area if necessary, Mr Peeperkorn added.

“We need this humanitarian pause… We have an agreement on that, so we hope that all parties will adhere to it,” the WHO official stressed.

These humanitarian ceasefires are not the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that mediators the US, Egypt and Qatar are seeking in the talks.

According to a statement by Basem Naim, a member of Hamas' political wing, the Islamic movement is "ready to cooperate with international organizations to ensure the above humanitarian" operation.

Earlier, an unnamed Israeli official said that some form of tactical pause was expected to allow for vaccinations. Israel has not commented on the information, but the Israeli military had previously announced a limited ceasefire in certain areas for international humanitarian operations.

On August 23, the WHO confirmed that at least one child in Gaza had contracted polio, the first case of the disease in Gaza in 25 years.

On August 28, the Israeli agency responsible for managing civil and security-related activities in the Palestinian territories, COGAT, said the vaccination campaign would be carried out in coordination with the Israeli army "as part of regular humanitarian ceasefires" to allow people to get to vaccination sites.

In another development related to the crisis in the Middle East, on the same day, Anadolu news agency reported that United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to immediately stop its military campaign in the West Bank.

The Secretary-General’s spokesperson said Mr. Guterres was deeply concerned by the recent Israeli airstrikes on the Tulkarm and Tubas areas in the West Bank, which caused casualties and damage to public infrastructure. The UN chief also strongly condemned the loss of life, especially among children.

Emphasizing the recent dangerous developments that have fueled tensions in the West Bank and weakened the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Guterres said the Israeli military needs to comply with its obligations and mandatory regulations under international humanitarian law; exercise maximum restraint, only use force when unavoidable, and protect the safety of civilians.

In addition, the UN also called for maintaining the status quo at the Al-Aqsa holy site in Jerusalem, expressing deep concern over the dangerous and provocative statements and actions of an Israeli minister after he visited the site.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/trung-dong-israel-hamas-dong-y-ngung-ban-nhan-dao-theo-3-dot-lhq-keu-goi-cham-dut-bao-luc-o-bo-tay-284396.html