Thursday, February 18, 2021

First 1,000 Covid vaccine doses to enter Gaza Wednesday: Israel

Issued on: 17/02/2021 - 
Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority had strongly condemned Israel's initial refusal to allow passage for the Covid vaccines intended for frontline health workers in Gaza SAID KHATIB AFP


Jerusalem (AFP)

An initial batch of 1,000 coronavirus vaccine doses donated by Russia will enter Gaza on Wednesday, Israel's defence ministry told AFP, after it had blocked a shipment earlier this week.

The Sputnik V doses were "being transferred from the Palestinian Authority (in the West Bank) to the Gaza Strip in accordance with the PA's request and the approval of the (Israeli) political echelon", said the Israeli military department responsible for civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories (COGAT).

It added that "the vaccine shipment is now making its way to the Erez crossing" that connects Israel to the blockaded Gaza Strip, a enclave which is controlled by the Islamist group Hamas.

Both the PA and Hamas, which have said the doses will be given to frontline healthcare workers, had condemned Israel for refusing to allow the shipment to enter Gaza on Monday.

The PA called on the World Health Organization to "condemn Israel" for the obstruction and urged it "to hold (Israel) fully responsible for the dangers arising from preventing the entry of vaccines into the Gaza Strip."

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem had blasted Israel's blockage as a "violation of all international laws and humanitarian standards."

COGAT said on Monday that a political decision was required before it could allow vaccines to enter Gaza, where Israel has fought three wars against Hamas, which took control of the enclave in 2007.

The PA is expecting some two million doses ordered from various manufacturers, in addition to vaccines from the UN-backed Covax programme, set up to help less wealthy nations procure vaccines.

The PA has said it will share its procurement with Hamas.

© 2021 AFP

Hamas condemns Israel for blocking Covid-19 vaccines to Gaza


Issued on: 16/02/2021
A Palestinian health worker holds a vial of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine after the delivery of doses from Israel, in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 3, 2021. © Mussa Issa Qawasma, Reuters

Hamas on Tuesday blasted Israel's refusal to allow some 2,000 coronavirus vaccine doses destined for Gaza health workers through its blockade of the territory as a "violation" of international law.

The Palestinian Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, had planned to send the Russian Sputnik V doses through Israel to Gaza, a separate territory run by Islamist movement Hamas. But on Monday evening, the PA health ministry said Israel had blocked the delivery.

But on Monday evening, the PA health ministry said Israel had blocked the delivery.

Israel's move marked "a real crime and a violation of all international laws and humanitarian standards," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said.

COGAT, the Israeli military department that runs civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, said Monday that the PA had requested to transfer 1,000 vaccine doses to Gaza but that "this request is waiting for a political decision".

The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday urged the World Health Organization to "condemn Israel" for the obstruction. 

The PA called on the WHO and other international organisations "to hold (Israel) fully responsible for the dangers arising from preventing the entry of vaccines into the Gaza Strip," spokesman Ibrahim Melhem said.

The PA said Monday that its own vaccination campaign for the general public had been pushed back due to a delay in deliveries.

It had been anticipating a shipment by the middle of this month, enabling it to start vaccinating the general public in the West Bank while sharing stock with Hamas.

The PA is expecting some two million doses ordered from various manufacturers, in addition to vaccines from the UN-backed Covax programme, set up to help less wealthy nations procure vaccines.

It began inoculating frontline healthcare workers earlier this month with an initial procurement of 10,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, as well as several thousand doses of the Moderna product.

Israel, which is carrying out one of the world's fastest vaccination campaigns per capita, has faced international calls to share its stocks with Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and blockaded Gaza.

(AFP)

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