What to remember from Thursday, August 29

Israeli authorities have agreed to three-day “humanitarian pauses” in central, southern and northern Gaza to vaccinate children against polio.

Fighting continues in the Gaza Strip, almost 11 months after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, triggered by the attacks of October 7. According to the Israeli army, troops continued their operations in Rafah, in the Khan Younis region and on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah in the Palestinian enclave, Thursday, August 29.

Over the past 24 hours, the IDF claimed to have killed “tens” fighters, including one who took part in the October 7 attacks, according to her. The Civil Defense, for its part, announced Thursday that eight people had been killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City. Here is what to remember from the day.

Localized “humanitarian pauses” to vaccinate against polio

According to Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization’s representative in Gaza, said Israeli authorities have agreed to a series of “humanitarian breaks” three days each in the centre, south and north of the Palestinian enclave, to launch a campaign to vaccinate children against polio.

“What we discussed and what was accepted is that the campaign will start on September 1, in the center of Gaza, for three days, and there will be a humanitarian pause.” for several hours every day, Rik Pepperkorn said Thursday at a news conference. On August 16, the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry announced that a case of polio had been diagnosed, for the first time in 25 years in the Gaza Strip, in a “ten month old baby who had not been vaccinated”in Deir al-Balah.

Contacted by AFP, Israeli authorities did not immediately comment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said overnight that it was not a “ceasefire to vaccinate against polio but the provision of certain places” in the Gaza Strip.

New death toll rises to 40,602, according to Hamas Health Ministry

The conflict between Israel and Hamas since the October 7 attacks has left at least 40,602 dead in the Gaza Strip, according to a new report from the Hamas government’s Health Ministry.

At least 68 people have been killed in the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a statement, adding that 93,855 people have been injured in the war. The toll cannot be independently verified.

At least 16 Palestinians killed in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army said on Thursday it had killed seven Palestinian fighters, on the second day of a large operation against armed groups in the occupied West Bank, which has left at least 16 dead in 48 hours. The Israeli army launched this operation called “anti-terrorist” Wednesday, sending its columns of armored vehicles to Jenin, Tulkarem, Tubas and their refugee camps, in the north of the occupied West Bank. The armed groups fighting against the Israeli occupation are particularly active there.