Emergency measures are clearly necessary to stop the outbreak of polio, a highly contagious viral infection, in Gaza.

However, a temporary suspension of fighting will not resolve the humanitarian crisis in the small, densely populated region at the center of a long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people.

What is needed is a permanent cease-fire.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a series of localized pauses in the fighting to allow health workers to administer vaccines in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian enclave.

This came in response to a request from the United Nations for vaccine distribution following the confirmation of the first case of polio infection in the area in 25 years.

Health workers started giving polio vaccinations to about 640,000 children under the age of 10 on Sept. 1, and the immunization campaign seems to have gotten off to a smooth start.

However, the Israeli military continues combat operations........

© The Asahi Shimbun