15 apr 2020
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates today condemned Israel blocking efforts by Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem to combat the deadly coronavirus disease, warning that Israel’s measures endanger lives.
It said in a statement that closure of a Palestinian health center in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan yesterday set up specifically to test for corona cases in the neighborhood after discovering dozens of cases and detaining those involved in setting it up under political pretexts have raised serious concern among the city’s vulnerable Palestinian population of not being able to prevent spread of the deadly disease.
The ministry called on the World Health Organization and international human rights organization to intervene and pressure Israel to stop its violations in the occupied city and allow Palestinians to manage the corona crisis there as well in light of Israel’s failure to care after the city’s 350,000 Palestinian population.
Compared to Israel, the Palestinian Authority has succeeded in controlling the disease since early March. With less than 300 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the Palestinian-run areas and two deaths, Israel has over 12,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 124 deaths despite the big gap in their health systems, facilities and financial capabilities.
It said in a statement that closure of a Palestinian health center in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan yesterday set up specifically to test for corona cases in the neighborhood after discovering dozens of cases and detaining those involved in setting it up under political pretexts have raised serious concern among the city’s vulnerable Palestinian population of not being able to prevent spread of the deadly disease.
The ministry called on the World Health Organization and international human rights organization to intervene and pressure Israel to stop its violations in the occupied city and allow Palestinians to manage the corona crisis there as well in light of Israel’s failure to care after the city’s 350,000 Palestinian population.
Compared to Israel, the Palestinian Authority has succeeded in controlling the disease since early March. With less than 300 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the Palestinian-run areas and two deaths, Israel has over 12,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 124 deaths despite the big gap in their health systems, facilities and financial capabilities.
Three new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the West Bank today raising total in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to 291, said Minister of Health Mai Alkaila.
She told the daily briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic that the three cases were for medics from two West Bank regions who apparently were infected during their work at Augusta Victoria hospital in occupied East Jerusalem.
Alkaila also said that it is believed there are also 78 positive corona cases in occupied East Jerusalem even though this number remains initial because of lack of exact information provided by Israel, which controls the city.
The minister said current active cases are 227 in the West Bank and Gaza after recovery of 62 patients and death of two.
She broke down the cases into: 66% males and 34% females; 40% in Jerusalem area villages under Palestinian rule, 20% in the Ramallah district, 18% in the Bethlehem district and 4.5% in the Gaza Strip, and other cities at lower numbers.
Age wise, 7% are children under nine years of age, 62% are between 10 and 50 years of age and 8% over 60 years.
Among the cases, 75% were for workers in Israel and people who interacted with them, or 217 cases, 10% were for travelers and people who interacted with them, four medics, including today’s three cases, and one former prisoner released from Israeli jails.
New coronavirus case in West Bank last night raises total to 288
A new coronavirus case was recorded in the West Bank late last night raising total in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to 288, according to a statement by the government spokesman.
It said the new case was in the village of Kharbatha al-Misbah, west of Ramallah.
In addition, 41 cases were reported in the occupied part of Jerusalem, but this figure could not be confirmed due to Israel’s failure to declare the real number of cases among Palestinians in the occupied city.
A total of 62 cases in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have recovered and two deaths in the West Bank.
She told the daily briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic that the three cases were for medics from two West Bank regions who apparently were infected during their work at Augusta Victoria hospital in occupied East Jerusalem.
Alkaila also said that it is believed there are also 78 positive corona cases in occupied East Jerusalem even though this number remains initial because of lack of exact information provided by Israel, which controls the city.
The minister said current active cases are 227 in the West Bank and Gaza after recovery of 62 patients and death of two.
She broke down the cases into: 66% males and 34% females; 40% in Jerusalem area villages under Palestinian rule, 20% in the Ramallah district, 18% in the Bethlehem district and 4.5% in the Gaza Strip, and other cities at lower numbers.
Age wise, 7% are children under nine years of age, 62% are between 10 and 50 years of age and 8% over 60 years.
Among the cases, 75% were for workers in Israel and people who interacted with them, or 217 cases, 10% were for travelers and people who interacted with them, four medics, including today’s three cases, and one former prisoner released from Israeli jails.
New coronavirus case in West Bank last night raises total to 288
A new coronavirus case was recorded in the West Bank late last night raising total in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to 288, according to a statement by the government spokesman.
It said the new case was in the village of Kharbatha al-Misbah, west of Ramallah.
In addition, 41 cases were reported in the occupied part of Jerusalem, but this figure could not be confirmed due to Israel’s failure to declare the real number of cases among Palestinians in the occupied city.
A total of 62 cases in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have recovered and two deaths in the West Bank.
14 apr 2020
Palestine Tuesday evening confirmed three new novel coronavirus cases, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the occupied territories to 323.
Speaking in the daily evening briefing, Government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem announced that the two of the three new cases were of a Palestinian worker in an Israeli nylon factory and a Palestinian who tested positive for the virus after being in touch with his father, in his 60s, who worked at an Israeli paint factory.
The third case, he added, was that of the paint factory worker’s co-worker, aged 25.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the total number of confirmed patients has increased to 323, including 36 in Jerusalem city, and 62 cases have fully recovered, including one in Jerusalem.
Health Ministry: 10 new coronavirus cases confirmed in West Bank; total in Palestine 284
In a sudden increase in the positive coronavirus cases in the West Bank, from none to one or two cases in the last few days, the Ministry of Health said today that 10 cases have tested positive bringing overall total in Palestine, not including occupied Jerusalem, to 284.
Palestinian Ministry of Health spokesman Kamal Shakhra said in the daily briefing on the disease that five of the new cases were for people from the town of Izzarieh, east of Jerusalem, three from Rafat in Ramallah area, one from Jenin in north of West Bank and one from Hebron in south of West Bank.
There are also unconfirmed 36 corona cases in occupied East Jerusalem, which would bring total in all the occupied Palestinian territories to 320.
Total number of cases in the West Bank is currently 271 and 13 in the Gaza Strip. A total of 62 have recovered with more recoveries announced today, nine of them are in the Gaza Strip. Two have died of the virus in the West Bank.
Speaking in the daily evening briefing, Government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem announced that the two of the three new cases were of a Palestinian worker in an Israeli nylon factory and a Palestinian who tested positive for the virus after being in touch with his father, in his 60s, who worked at an Israeli paint factory.
The third case, he added, was that of the paint factory worker’s co-worker, aged 25.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the total number of confirmed patients has increased to 323, including 36 in Jerusalem city, and 62 cases have fully recovered, including one in Jerusalem.
Health Ministry: 10 new coronavirus cases confirmed in West Bank; total in Palestine 284
In a sudden increase in the positive coronavirus cases in the West Bank, from none to one or two cases in the last few days, the Ministry of Health said today that 10 cases have tested positive bringing overall total in Palestine, not including occupied Jerusalem, to 284.
Palestinian Ministry of Health spokesman Kamal Shakhra said in the daily briefing on the disease that five of the new cases were for people from the town of Izzarieh, east of Jerusalem, three from Rafat in Ramallah area, one from Jenin in north of West Bank and one from Hebron in south of West Bank.
There are also unconfirmed 36 corona cases in occupied East Jerusalem, which would bring total in all the occupied Palestinian territories to 320.
Total number of cases in the West Bank is currently 271 and 13 in the Gaza Strip. A total of 62 have recovered with more recoveries announced today, nine of them are in the Gaza Strip. Two have died of the virus in the West Bank.
For the 10th time in few weeks, Israeli soldiers today barred Palestinian volunteers from manning a checkpoint in two northern Jordan Valley villages set up to restrict movement in an effort to combat spread of the coronavirus disease, according to a local Palestinian official.
Soldiers took down a Palestinian flag and forced the volunteers to leave the area, said Mutaz Bisharat, who is in charge of the Israeli settlements file in the Tubas governorate.
Fatah secretary general in Tubas, Mahmoud Sawafta, said volunteers from the Palestinian movement headed by President Mahmoud Abbas wanted to help the local councils maintain order in their villages to prevent the spread of the deadly disease when the Israeli soldiers ordered them to leave the area.
Bisharat said this is the 10th time the soldiers dismantle the Palestinian checkpoint since the outbreak of the disease in the occupied Palestinian territories more than a month ago.
Soldiers took down a Palestinian flag and forced the volunteers to leave the area, said Mutaz Bisharat, who is in charge of the Israeli settlements file in the Tubas governorate.
Fatah secretary general in Tubas, Mahmoud Sawafta, said volunteers from the Palestinian movement headed by President Mahmoud Abbas wanted to help the local councils maintain order in their villages to prevent the spread of the deadly disease when the Israeli soldiers ordered them to leave the area.
Bisharat said this is the 10th time the soldiers dismantle the Palestinian checkpoint since the outbreak of the disease in the occupied Palestinian territories more than a month ago.
13 apr 2020
A cargo flight of medical supplies destined to Palestine from China arrived Monday at the Israeli Ben-Gurion airport.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates announced in a press release that a Turkish Airline carrying a shipment of medical supplies donated by Alibaba to Palestine to curb the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus landed at al-Lydd (Ben-Gurion) airport.
The ministry added that the Palestinian Civil Affairs Commission was arranging for the clearance of the crucial medical supplies, which were sent at the request of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Riyad al-Malki in coordination with the Palestinian embassy in China.
The Chinese online shopping platform, the ministry noted, has also donated similar supplies to Israel, and these donations were airlifted to Israel aboard another plane.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates announced in a press release that a Turkish Airline carrying a shipment of medical supplies donated by Alibaba to Palestine to curb the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus landed at al-Lydd (Ben-Gurion) airport.
The ministry added that the Palestinian Civil Affairs Commission was arranging for the clearance of the crucial medical supplies, which were sent at the request of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Riyad al-Malki in coordination with the Palestinian embassy in China.
The Chinese online shopping platform, the ministry noted, has also donated similar supplies to Israel, and these donations were airlifted to Israel aboard another plane.
The government's spokesman Ibrahim Milhem confirmed this evening a new case of the novel COVID-19 (coronavirus), bringing up the total cases in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to 273.
Milhem said in a statement that the new case belongs to a man in his 20s from the town of Jalqamus in the Jenin governorate, north of the occupied West Bank. The man contracted the disease during his work at a chicken slaughterhouse in Israel.
Of note, most cases confirmed in Palestine so far came from Israel, an epicenter of the disease, or from people who had contact with patients who contracted the disease during their work in Israel.
One new coronavirus case confirmed in West Bank; total in Palestine 272
One new case of coronavirus was confirmed this morning in the village of Rafat, southwest of Ramallah, bringing overall total in Palestine, not including occupied Jerusalem, to 272, according to government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
He also said there were unconfirmed 36 corona cases in occupied East Jerusalem, which would bring total in all the occupied Palestinian territories to 308.
Milhem said the new case is for a man in his 30s who used to work at an Israeli factory in occupied Jerusalem and was in solitary confinement after his return home from work in Israel and therefore did not interact with anyone.
Two new coronavirus cases confirmed in West Bank overnight, total 271, one recovered
Two new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the southern West Bank district of Hebron last night bringing overall total in Palestine to 271, and one case recovered of a young woman from Ramallah for an overall total of 59 recoveries, according to government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
He said a 23-year-old youth from the town of Shyoukh, northeast of Hebron, and another 28-year-old man from Yatta town, south of Hebron, both workers in Israel, have tested positive for the virus.
The two were kept in solitary confinement after their return from work in Israel and therefore did not mingle with anyone.
Total cases in the West Bank is currently 258 and 13 in the Gaza Strip, and 50 recovered in the West Bank and nine in the Gaza Strip.
Two have died of the virus in the West Bank.
Following the two new confirmations in Shyoukh and Yatta, Hebron governor Jibrin Bakri declared a total lockdown on these two towns and closure of all shops to contain the disease before it spreads to other people.
Milhem said in a statement that the new case belongs to a man in his 20s from the town of Jalqamus in the Jenin governorate, north of the occupied West Bank. The man contracted the disease during his work at a chicken slaughterhouse in Israel.
Of note, most cases confirmed in Palestine so far came from Israel, an epicenter of the disease, or from people who had contact with patients who contracted the disease during their work in Israel.
One new coronavirus case confirmed in West Bank; total in Palestine 272
One new case of coronavirus was confirmed this morning in the village of Rafat, southwest of Ramallah, bringing overall total in Palestine, not including occupied Jerusalem, to 272, according to government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
He also said there were unconfirmed 36 corona cases in occupied East Jerusalem, which would bring total in all the occupied Palestinian territories to 308.
Milhem said the new case is for a man in his 30s who used to work at an Israeli factory in occupied Jerusalem and was in solitary confinement after his return home from work in Israel and therefore did not interact with anyone.
Two new coronavirus cases confirmed in West Bank overnight, total 271, one recovered
Two new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the southern West Bank district of Hebron last night bringing overall total in Palestine to 271, and one case recovered of a young woman from Ramallah for an overall total of 59 recoveries, according to government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
He said a 23-year-old youth from the town of Shyoukh, northeast of Hebron, and another 28-year-old man from Yatta town, south of Hebron, both workers in Israel, have tested positive for the virus.
The two were kept in solitary confinement after their return from work in Israel and therefore did not mingle with anyone.
Total cases in the West Bank is currently 258 and 13 in the Gaza Strip, and 50 recovered in the West Bank and nine in the Gaza Strip.
Two have died of the virus in the West Bank.
Following the two new confirmations in Shyoukh and Yatta, Hebron governor Jibrin Bakri declared a total lockdown on these two towns and closure of all shops to contain the disease before it spreads to other people.
11 apr 2020
The Ministry of Health announced today evening that 11 coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in Palestine have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 57.
It said seven of those who recovered were in Bethlehem, two in Nablus, one in Ramallah and another one in Salfit.
Those who recovered will undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
Two deaths have been recorded so far in the West Bank while one patient remains in serious condition in the West Bank as well, as confirmed yesterday by government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
A new coronavirus case confirmed in Palestine, raising total to 268
A new coronavirus case was confirmed in West Bank this morning bringing total in Palestine to 268, according to the Ministry of Health spokesman Kamal Shakhra.
He said in the daily briefing on coronavirus outbreak that the new case is for woman in her 60s from the Jerusalem-area village of Jdeireh, who got the virus from her infected husband, a returning worker from Israel.
Recovered cases reached 46 in Palestine with the recovery yesterday of a young man from Tulkarm in the north of the West Bank.
Of the total recoveries, 37 are in the West Bank out of a total of 255 corona cases, and nine in the Gaza Strip out of a total of 13 corona cases.
Two deaths have been recorded so far in the West Bank while one patient remains in serious condition in the West Bank as well, as confirmed yesterday by government spokesman Mohammad Milhem.
It said seven of those who recovered were in Bethlehem, two in Nablus, one in Ramallah and another one in Salfit.
Those who recovered will undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
Two deaths have been recorded so far in the West Bank while one patient remains in serious condition in the West Bank as well, as confirmed yesterday by government spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
A new coronavirus case confirmed in Palestine, raising total to 268
A new coronavirus case was confirmed in West Bank this morning bringing total in Palestine to 268, according to the Ministry of Health spokesman Kamal Shakhra.
He said in the daily briefing on coronavirus outbreak that the new case is for woman in her 60s from the Jerusalem-area village of Jdeireh, who got the virus from her infected husband, a returning worker from Israel.
Recovered cases reached 46 in Palestine with the recovery yesterday of a young man from Tulkarm in the north of the West Bank.
Of the total recoveries, 37 are in the West Bank out of a total of 255 corona cases, and nine in the Gaza Strip out of a total of 13 corona cases.
Two deaths have been recorded so far in the West Bank while one patient remains in serious condition in the West Bank as well, as confirmed yesterday by government spokesman Mohammad Milhem.
