Virus spreads to Gaza Strip
THE FIRST cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the Gaza Strip early on Sunday as two Palestinian men held in a quarantine area near the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. They had returned from Pakistan, via Egypt.
Some 2,000 Gazans who returned from abroad are already in self-quarantine; to them were added those who came in contact with the two carriers. There are no signs yet of an outbreak in the beleaguered 145 square-mile coastal strip, home to nearly two million people.
But the territory’s Health Ministry has appealed to the UN for critical medical equipment. Israel has continued to allow in health professionals of international organisations as the World Health Organisation warned that dilapidated hospitals could not handle an outbreak.
Only a month ago, Israel had permitted thousands more Palestinian day workers and traders to leave Gaza daily to make a living in Israel, but on Sunday, authorities closed the Erez crossing for the 7,000 who hold exit permits. Egypt is now the only way in and out of Gaza.
Over the past fortnight, there have been no rocket launches from Gaza towards Israel as Palestinian factions observed an unofficial ceasefire.
Last week, a day after Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke on the phone about the need to coordinate efforts against the pandemic, Israel authorised the transfer of 120 million shekels (£28.5 million) of Palestinian customs revenues that Israel has been holding due to an accounting dispute.
On Wednesday there were 60 confirmed coronavirus cases in the West Bank, with the main outbreaks in Bethlehem and Tul Karm.