Prof. Hagai Levine, Head of the Health Division of the Hostages Families Forum, sent a letter to the WHO and UNICEF urging them to include hostages in the ongoing polio vaccination campaign and all other health interventions.
In the letter, Professor Levine states: "A deal encompassing both hostage release and a ceasefire would be pivotal to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza's population, bolster public health efforts, and provide relief to all affected by the conflict. A deal to release all the hostages will pave the way for a better future for both Israel and Gaza and promote regional stability."
"Due to dire conditions in which the 107 hostages including elderly individuals, women, and children, have been held captive for 328 days, all are considered at-risk. Their inclusion in the vaccination campaign is critical for their survival, just as it is for all of the individuals in Gaza," the Hostages Families Forum stated.
"To date, Hamas's refusal to provide proof of life or allow Red Cross visits to the hostages compounds the health crisis in Gaza," they added.
The WHO recently announced that there will be operational pauses in the fighting to allow for its agents on the ground to distribute the vaccine.