A World Health Organization official said the organisation has sent a request to Israel to begin the second phase of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza from Oct 14, Reuters reports.

“We have asked the Israeli authorities to consider a similar scheme that we had for the first round, something they call ‘tactical pauses’ (in fighting) during the working hours of the campaign,” said Ayadil Saparbekov, WHO lead for emergencies in the occupied Palestinian territory.

He said negotiations were ongoing and that a meeting with Israeli authorities about the next phase of the campaign was planned for Sunday.