A third mass polio vaccination campaign kicked off in Gaza on Saturday, aiming to administer the first dose to nearly 600,000 children across the Palestinian territory, AFP journalists reported.

At a mosque in Jabalia, northern Gaza, where last year's intense Israeli military strikes left widespread destruction, scores of children under 10 received their vaccinations.

The campaign, involving several UN agencies—including the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which Israel boycotts—comes as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has largely paused hostilities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the drive aims to vaccinate over 591,000 children by February 26.

"Over 1,700 UNRWA team members will participate in this effort," wrote UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini on X. "This campaign follows the recent detection of polio in wastewater, which threatens children's lives."

Polio resurfaced in Gaza in late 2024 after more than 20 years, prompting the first two rounds of mass vaccination. The highly contagious virus primarily affects children under five and can cause paralysis.

Gaza’s humanitarian situation remains dire after over 16 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, compounded by an Israeli blockade in place for more than 15 years. Widespread destruction of water infrastructure has left sewage stagnant in open areas near densely populated neighborhoods, contributing to the virus's reemergence last autumn. The WHO confirmed on February 19 that recent wastewater samples tested positive for poliovirus.

Bringing his daughters for vaccination, Jabalia resident Bassam al-Haou expressed hope for peace. "I want stability for our innocent children so they can live free from violence," he told AFP.

The conflict began with Hamas's large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. A fragile ceasefire has been in effect since January 19.