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Abbas Extends State of Emergency in West Bank Amid Pandemic

Abbas Extends State of Emergency in West Bank Amid Pandemic

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has extended by 30 days a state of emergency in areas of the West Bank under his government’s control. The move is aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and then generally congregate with family and friends for a celebratory meal. The state of emergency has been in place since early March, when PA officials confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the territory. It has since been extended twice and is now slated to expire on June 4. Overall, some 360 infections have been reported across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the latter being ruled by the Hamas terror group. Two people have died and more than 100 have recovered. Despite initial fears of a widespread outbreak in both regions, the contagion seems to have been contained. The PA from the outset imposed strict regulations on the public while implementing temporary closures in the most affected areas, including, most notably, Bethlehem. Gaza has, for the most part, remained coronavirus-free, owing in large part, and somewhat paradoxically, to a joint Israeli-Egyptian blockade that greatly limits travel in and out of the enclave.

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