Three children were injured when an Israeli drone dropped a bomb on a medical clinic in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City.

The clinic, where a polio vaccination campaign was in progress, became the target of the strike, leaving the injured children to be transported to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City for urgent care, according to local medics.

The attack occurred as the Sheikh Radwan clinic was conducting the third phase of an emergency polio vaccination campaign, specifically aimed at children under ten years old. This vaccination effort was a part of the second round of emergency public health measures launched in response to an ongoing health crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by the 29-day-long conflict.

The northern Gaza Strip has faced widespread displacement and destruction, impacting vital health and humanitarian operations. Public health workers have voiced concern over the ongoing obstacles to healthcare delivery amid the Israeli military campaign, which has intensified since October 2023.

The reported casualties and disruptions reflect the growing scale of the crisis in Gaza. Since the beginning of the recent escalation, local health authorities have documented over 43,204 Palestinian fatalities, with an additional 101,640 individuals injured. Thousands more are feared trapped under rubble across the region, with emergency responders reportedly unable to access many areas due to continuous strikes.

Despite repeated calls for a ceasefire by the United Nations Security Council and instructions from the International Court of Justice to prevent genocide and alleviate the humanitarian crisis, Israeli airstrikes continue. Human rights advocates and international agencies have expressed deep concern over the impacts on civilians, particularly on children and public health systems, which remain under immense strain.

As Gaza faces ongoing destruction and humanitarian devastation, the attack on the Sheikh Radwan clinic highlights the heightened risks for public health efforts amid escalating violence. (ILKHA)