The UN children's agency, UNICEF, reported a significant achievement in Gaza as its polio vaccination campaign reached 189,000 children, surpassing its target. This campaign, which saw over 500 teams administering vaccines to children under 10, was conducted with limited pauses in fighting facilitated by both Israel and Hamas. The effort is a response to Gaza’s first reported polio case in 25 years, involving a 10-month-old boy now paralyzed in the leg. Health experts warn of potential disease outbreaks due to widespread displacement and deteriorating conditions in Gaza, where over 40,800 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict.

In the West Bank, an Israeli drone strike killed five men and wounded another in Tubas, according to Palestinian news sources. This attack is part of a broader military operation in the occupied West Bank. Meanwhile, cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have seen partial agreement on 14 of 18 proposal paragraphs. Disagreements persist over the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released and the Israeli military’s presence in Gaza’s Philadelphi corridor. The complexity of the negotiations, particularly over prisoner exchanges and the status of the corridor, highlights ongoing challenges in reaching a comprehensive cease-fire.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer discussed escalating tensions at the Israel-Lebanon border, where concerns about Hezbollah's involvement could widen the conflict. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on maintaining control over Gaza’s border with Egypt has complicated cease-fire efforts. Families of hostages have criticized Netanyahu for wearing a solidarity pin while allegedly undermining negotiations. This criticism follows the recent execution of six hostages by Hamas, intensifying calls for a deal that includes prisoner exchanges and combat pauses.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock emphasized the urgent need for a cease-fire to prioritize the release of hostages held by Hamas during her upcoming Middle East visit. In Denmark, climate activist Greta Thunberg and five others were detained after protesting against Israeli university collaborations. The demonstration, which involved occupying university property and displaying anti-Israel banners, was part of broader international protests related to the ongoing conflict.