In case you hadn’t noticed, Gaza had its first case of polio in 25 years, due to the lack of vaccinations of infants and children. Remember polio? The dreaded disease that put children in iron lungs, caused paralysis, and spread like wildfire before the Salk and Sabin vaccines became available.
UNICEF plans to vaccinate 640,000 children in two stages, September and October. Of course, the doctors and nurses who will be working there will be just as vulnerable to Israeli bombing as have been medical personnel in hospitals. How to do this without a ceasefire is a real issue. And any delay threatens all children, Israeli and Palestinian.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has laid out difficult conditions for a ceasefire, and Hamas, also more interested in its own power, have not reached an agreement. What is the old African proverb? When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled.
Prayer for the Day
Bodies unable to move, unable to breathe,
How we remember those times, O God;
Now with the vaccines to prevent such horror,
Warring bodies stand in the way of relief.
Break into their desire for power so children may live,
Fully and completely reflecting your will
In the name of the One who called the children to him.
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen
Thoughts for the Day
No one is safe, nowhere is safe. People have barely any options left, after being uprooted multiple times, to find shelter, health and other services in an already crammed and challenging environment.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of World Health Organization
To have an impact, the vaccines must end up in the mouths of every child under the age of 10.
Phillippe Lazzarini, head of UNWRA
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands upon them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for such belongs to the kingdom of God.” And he laid his hands upon them and went away.
Matthew 19: 13-15