Gaza records highest daily COVID-19 deaths
GAZA CITY: The Gaza Strip recorded its highestever daily toll of coronavirus deaths, authorities said, as the Israeli-blockaded territory struggles with a dearth of vaccines.
The Palestinian enclave, hemmed in by a large concrete barrier, the Egyptian border and the Mediterranean Sea, had been largely spared by the Covid-19 illness for much of last year.
But in August, cases were recorded in its densely-populated refugee camps.
They have sky-rocketed in recent weeks, forcing movement Hamas to impose a curfew and other health measures.
On Sunday, the Strip’s health ministry announced “23 deaths in the past 24 hours,” taking its toll to 761 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
“It’s the largest number of deaths” in one day, said Mutassim Salah, a senior health official, adding that 305 people were hospitalised with the disease.
Authorities have so far only received 80,000 vaccine doses for the population of some two million people.
Gaza authorities last Tuesday, at the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, announced a new series of anti-coronavirus measures including a ban on weddings and on driving ater 7 pm.
Four Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police in annexed east Jerusalem, the Palestinian Red Crescent said on Monday, ater officers cordoned off a popular gathering spot for Ramadan crowds.
Separately in the historically Arab Jaffa district of Tel Aviv, residents assaulted a rabbi seeking to acquire land for housing for seminary students in a predominantly Arab neighbourhood, prompting clashes with police.
Police said they made three arrests ater the Jerusalem clashes, during which they used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a large crowd gathered outside one of the gates to the walled Old City, video posted on Twiter showed.
Police said the crowd atacked officers with stones and firecrackers but caused no casualties.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said four people in the crowd were wounded.
During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful fast from dawn to dusk, the promenade around the walls of the Old City is a popular place for Palestinians to gather ater dark.