Discovery of poliovirus in Gaza ‘incredibly alarming’, Unicef executive director says

Unicef executive director Catherine Russell said on a visit to Canberra that the presence of poliovirus amid the Israel-Gaza war only added to the danger for children. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The “incredibly alarming” discovery of the poliovirus in Gaza only adds to the besieged territory’s status as one of “the most dangerous places to be a child right now”, the head of the UN children’s agency has warned.

The executive director of Unicef, Catherine Russell, said during a visit to Australia that Gaza was increasingly lawless.