IDF begins vaccinating Israeli soldiers amid fears of polio outbreak in Gaza

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The IDF Medical Corps has begun vaccinating Israeli combat soldiers after poliovirus was recently discovered in Gaza’s sewage.

IDF medical officials in Gaza have been instructed by the Israeli Ministry of Health to carefully monitor any flu-like symptoms among soldiers that could constitute a polio infection. The vaccination drive is reportedly not mandatory and authorities will not sanction soldiers who do not want to be vaccinated.

Prof. Zohar Mor, acting head of the epidemiology department at the Health Ministry wrote a letter to incoming IDF chief medical officer, Brig.-Gen. Dr. Zivan Aviad-Bar, urging him "to ensure that all soldiers are vaccinated against polio. It is recommended that even those vaccinated in the routine immunization program receive a booster dose due to potential exposure risk, especially in field conditions. Besides protecting the soldiers themselves, it is crucial to prevent them from getting infected and subsequently infecting others, as the virus is excreted in large quantities through the intestines."

Furthermore, "the vaccine is recommended for all combat teams currently in Gaza or those about to enter the area. There is no need to vaccinate soldiers who were previously in Gaza," the Health Ministry stated in its directive to the IDF.

Israeli authorities have instructed IDF troops in Gaza to main a high level of personal hygiene to reduce the risk of contracting various diseases.

The Israeli military is also preparing to implement a new vaccination drive for Gaza’s more than two million residents. Israeli authorities have introduced around 300,000 polio vaccines in cooperation with international organizations for Gaza’s civilian population since Oct. 7.

Last week, the Ynet news outlet reported that Israel had begun repairing the sanitation systems throughout the Gaza Strip, including restoring damaged sewage lines and treatment plants. The IDF initiative will mainly focus on the southern Gaza, where the majority of the local population is concentrated.

"Currently, most of Gaza's residents, about 1.9 million people, live in the coastal area from the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah to Deir Al-Balah, an immense area of massive tent cities," Israeli security officials stated.

"Epidemics could easily break out from there due to sanitation issues. There were places where sewage puddles were dried up, but this is a health hazard for us as well,” the officials warned.

The health officials emphasized that a collapsed sewage system in Gaza could potentially have negative impact on geographically adjacent Israeli communities.

"The Khan Younis municipality has already started discharging sewage into the sea, which could lead to the closure of Zikim and Ashkelon beaches."

"It's a miracle that no diseases have spread there until now, and if that happens and everything falls apart, the world, through a UN Security Council resolution, might stop the conflict immediately. There are piles of garbage alongside running water in the displaced areas. We will bring in equipment, pumps and local contractors to address the issue," the health officials added.