Gaza City [Gaza], November 12: A major campaign to vaccinate children in Gaza against preventable diseases such as polio and measles has begun, but the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is facing significant logistical hurdles, the agency said on Tuesday.
The agency has ordered 1.6 million syringes, but most remain held at the border with Israel, a spokesman told reporters in Geneva.
Solar-powered refrigerators for storing vaccines are also awaiting clearance from Israel, some since August.
Both items are considered "dual-use," meaning they could potentially have military as well as civilian applications, making it difficult to obtain Israeli approval to bring them into the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, UNICEF has distributed 200,000 winter blankets to families living in tents, many of which are
not winter-proof, and another million blankets are en
route.
Tens of thousands of winter shoes and warm clothing items have also been delivered.
Source: Qatar Tribune
