Components of type 2 poliovirus have been found in sewage samples from Gaza, the Israeli Ministry of Health announced yesterday.
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“The samples, tested in an Israeli laboratory approved by the World Health Organisation, raised concerns about the virus’s presence in this area,” the ministry stated.
“Regular tests are conducted to detect the poliovirus in sewage water to identify the potential spread of the disease asymptomatically.”
The Israeli Health Ministry also mentioned that it is “monitoring and considering the necessary steps to prevent the risk of disease spread in Israel.”
Media reports have said Israel plans to vaccinate its soldiers against polio, however no information has been given about plans to provide vaccines to Palestinians in Gaza.
Several Palestinians Thursday evening suffocated from Israeli army teargas in the Jalazone refugee camp, north of the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, according to local sources.
They said that the occupation forces barged their way into the outskirts of the refugee camp, broke into and deployed snipers on the rooftops of several houses, sparking confrontations.
The heavily armed soldiers fired volleys of tear gas canisters, resulting in suffocation cases.
Israeli occupation forces frequently raid Palestinian houses almost on a daily basis across the West Bank on the pretext of searching for "wanted" Palestinians, triggering clashes with residents.
These raids, which take place also in areas under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, are conducted with no need for a search warrant, whenever and wherever the military chooses in keeping with its sweeping arbitrary powers.
Under Israeli military law army commanders have full executive, legislative and judicial authority over 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestinians have no say in how this authority is exercised.
