Israeli forces killed at least 48 Palestinians in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip as they battled Hamas-led fighters, Palestinian officials said, while medics conducted a second day of polio vaccinations for children in the enclave.

Palestinian and UN officials said more than 80,000 children had been vaccinated in central areas of Gaza on Sunday, the first day of the campaign.

Seven Palestinians were killed in two Israeli air strikes on Gaza City, Palestinian officials said, while two air strikes killed six others in Bureij and Nuseirat, two of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency, repeated its call for an immediate ceasefire to help ensure a successful and safe polio vaccination campaign.

“On 1st day only, @UNRWA teams & partners reached around 87,000 children according to @WHO. Efforts are ongoing to provide children with this key vaccine, but what they need most is a #CeasefireNow,” it said on the X social media platform.

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