Israel Allows COVID-19 Vaccines to Enter Gaza After Delay

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel is allowing the transfer of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine to Gaza after previously blocking the shipment.

"An amount of 1,000 Sputnik vaccines donated by Russia, is being transferred from the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip, in accordance with the Palestinian Authority's request and the approval of the political echelon," a security official said.

Israel's earlier decision to stop the delivery sparked outrage from the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.  The PA governs parts of the West Bank – biblical Judea and Samaria – and Hamas, an Islamic terror group, rules the Gaza Strip.

Although the two groups have a bitter political rivalry, they agreed to coordinate efforts to roll out vaccines to Palestinians.

An Israeli defense official told The Times of Israel on Tuesday that Israeli authorities had turned away a truck sent by the Palestinian Authority carrying the vaccines.

“They sent a truck full of vaccines down to Beitunia without any kind of coordination with us, without having received the proper permits,” the official said, and called the  incident “inane.”

To make any vaccine transfer to Gaza possible, Israel must give its official approval.

Some Israeli lawmakers demanded that Israel make the vaccine transfer conditional upon the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

Hamas is believed to be holding two Israelis and holds the remains of two Israeli soldiers who died in combat. Hamas hopes to use them to negotiate the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, including individuals implicated in deadly attacks.

Wednesday's decision is the first time Israel has allowed the transfer of COVID-19 vaccines to Gaza. However, it already coordinated the transfer of some vaccines to the Palestinian Authority.

Rights groups argue that Israel is an occupying power and is responsible for ensuring that Palestinians have access to vaccines. Israel denies it has this responsibility and is focused on its own population.

Israel has one of the world's most successful vaccination programs, inoculating more than a third of its population of 9 million since December.

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