Discovery of polio in Gaza further threatens besieged Palestinians

Israeli soldiers will be provided polio vaccines, which will be available to possibly half of Gaza's population, the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday after remnants of the highly contagious virus were found in wastewater testing in the embattled territory.

The discovery of a virus that can cause paralysis further threatens the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, who have been subjected to repeated bombardments and are contending with food and water scarcity, deteriorating health conditions and a severely damaged infrastructure after more than nine months of Israel's war with Hamas.

The Gaza Health Ministry announced the discovery of polio last week, and it was confirmed by the World Health Organization , whose leader said six environmental samples were found in the southern city of Khan Younis and the central city of Deir al Balah.

"The decimation of the health system, lack of security, access obstruction, constant population displacement, shortages of medical supplies, poor quality of water and weakened sanitation are increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio,'' WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the X platform. "This poses a risk for children and creates the perfect environment for diseases like polio to spread.''

Tedros said relief organizations are assessing how to limit the virus' spread, adding that before the war the polio vaccination rates in Gaza were "optimal.''

The Israeli military said that, in addition to its forces being offered the vaccine, more than a million shots have been brought in with the help of international groups to inoculate Palestinians. That figure would be enough for only about half the Gaza population, but it's not clear how many haven't been vaccinated already.

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Israeli retaliation against Houthis kills six, injures 80

Six people were killed and 80 injured Saturday as Israeli fighter jets struck Yemeni oil and military facilities in the port city of Hodeidah in response to a weekend drone strike and previous attacks , Reuters reported.

The outlet cited residents of the western city on the Red Sea reporting numerous explosions during an intense bombardment.

Houthi rebels have been disrupting shipping in the Red Sea since November in what they say is a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza during Israel's war with Hamas. On Friday, a drone strike claimed by the Houthis killed one person and injured others in the center of Tel Aviv.

"IDF fighter jets struck military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime in the area of the (Hodeidah) port in Yemen in response to the hundreds of attacks carried out against the state of Israel in recent months," the Israeli military said.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Discovery of polio in Gaza further threatens besieged Palestinians