Gaza received 20,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine from the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, a move secured by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's rival, Mohammad Dahlan, who is based in the Gulf state.
Gaza health officials said they would begin vaccination on Monday, with priority for medical workers and those with chronic diseases. Many patients were contacted in advance and asked to give their consent.
The step by Dahlan, whom Abbas had dismissed from his Fatah party a decade ago and forced into exile, was seen by analysts as an attempt to score points ahead of a planned Palestinian election later this year.