Algeria has renewed its call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to allow for a polio vaccination campaign, citing the deliberate Israeli bombing of hospitals and medical facilities which has contributed to the collapse of the health system.
During the monthly Security Council session on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, Algeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ammar Benjamea, described the dire situation in Gaza, where no progress has been made 11 months after the start of the Zionist occupation’s brutal punitive assault on unarmed Palestinian civilians.
Algeria’s diplomat reported over 40,000 deaths and 90,000 injuries, numbers rapidly increasing not only due to the deteriorating situation but also because of the imminent threat of disease outbreaks following the health system’s collapse due to targeted Israeli military actions.
“Despite these challenges, the international humanitarian community is ready to assist in a comprehensive vaccination campaign,” he said, adding that “it is unimaginable for any vaccination efforts to continue under ongoing Zionist bombardment.”
Benjamea emphasized the need for a true cessation of hostilities to ensure the success of this campaign, echoing calls from the World Health Organization and UNICEF for a humanitarian pause to allow for comprehensive and extensive immunizations.
He criticized Tel Aviv for continuing its aggression with complete impunity, aiming to make Gaza uninhabitable and a living nightmare.
Benjamea also urged a quick deal in light of Gaza’s deteriorating conditions to end the ongoing massacres against unarmed Palestinian civilians.
He highlighted the occupation’s ongoing disregard for international pleas, including Security Council resolutions and orders from the International Court of Justice, confirming Algeria’s firm belief in the risks of a broader conflict facing the Middle East.
Only a permanent ceasefire in Gaza can prevent further escalation in the region.
The Algerian envoy concluded by stating that “the international community cannot remain silent, and the time has come to end the massacres in Gaza and close this dark chapter in the history of the Middle East, the international community, and the Security Council.”
