The first phase of polio vaccination in central Gaza is complete, with over 189,000 children under the age of 10 being vaccinated, well over the target of 156,500, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said on Wednesday. 

"Four fixed sites will continue to offer polio vaccination for the next three days in central Gaza to ensure no child is missed. Preparations are underway today to roll out the vaccine campaign in south Gaza, which will start tomorrow," Tedros wrote on the X platform. "We ask for the humanitarian pauses to continue to be respected. We continue to call for a ceasefire."

Since Sunday, Palestinian Health Ministry teams, along with the WHO, UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and UNICEF, have been conducting the vaccination campaign in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. 

The vaccination campaign will continue until September 12, also extending to Khan Younis, Gaza City, and northern governorates.

(With input from Xinhua)