Gaza [Palestine], November 4: The World Health Organization (WHO) has received a report of an attack on a vaccination centre in the Gaza Strip. "Six people, including four children, were injured," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO), wrote on X on Sunday.
He did not initially say who was said to have attacked the medical centre on Saturday. He said there had been a tactical ceasefire in the area because of the ongoing vaccination campaign.
Medical circles in the Gaza Strip said at least three children had been injured and that the attack was carried out by the Israeli military. The information could not be independently verified.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military wrote on X that the Israel Defense Forces was aware of the reports of Palestinians injured at the vaccination centre.
Contrary to the allegations, however, an initial investigation had shown that the Israeli army was not attacking in the area at the time of the incident, he said. Hamas did not immediately comment.
A WHO team was on the ground shortly before the incident, Tedros said. "This attack, during [a] humanitarian pause, jeopardises the sanctity of health protection for children and may deter parents from bringing their children for vaccination," the WHO director warned.
The vaccination campaign in the northern part of the Gaza Strip was interrupted in October due to heavy fighting. Vaccinations at the medical centre affected continued, according to medical sources in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Qatar Tribune