The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, called on Friday for a humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza to develop a polio vaccination campaign aimed at more than 640,000 children under the age of ten and facing “serious challenges.”

In a press conference, Guterres called on the parties to the conflict to provide “immediate concrete guarantees” for a ceasefire or a humanitarian pause for the safe delivery of vaccines and medical care, and to protect workers and health facilities from bombing.

“Let’s be clear: the definitive vaccine against polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. But in any case, a break due to polio is essential. It is impossible to carry out a polio vaccination campaign while war sweeps everywhere,” he said.

He recalled that the campaign is carried out with a decimated health infrastructure and insecurity for health workers and communities.

The vaccination campaign arises after polio was detected in wastewater samples in Gaza, which puts hundreds of thousands of children at risk, so he warned of the “urgent” need for global action to contain its spread.

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Last month, the Ministry of Health of Gaza declared a polio epidemic, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the presence of the disease in wastewater.

“Polio doesn’t care about dividing lines and polio doesn’t wait. Preventing and containing the spread will require a massive, coordinated and urgent effort,” said Guterres, who did not indicate when that campaign would begin.

A UN statement states that the organization plans to start a two-phase campaign at the end of this month. On August 7, WHO announced the shipment of 1.2 million vaccines to Gaza.

He explained that, due to the devastation in Gaza, vaccination coverage of at least 95 percent will be necessary during each phase of the campaign to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce its occurrence.

Guterres also indicated that the medical teams of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the largest provider of primary health care in Gaza, are ready to administer the vaccines and help with logistics.

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The campaign will involve 708 teams in hospitals and primary health care centers, he said, reiterating that many barely work and 316 community outreach teams throughout Gaza.

And he stressed that for a successful campaign they will need safe transport of vaccines and personnel, fuel, reliable internet service and telephone to inform the communities, as well as security so that children and families can reach the centers and that they are protected from bombing.

“Polio goes beyond politics. It transcends all divisions, so it is our shared obligation to unite, to mobilize, not to fight against the people, but against polio,” he said.