Gaza Under Total Lockdown After Initial Virus Outbreak

The terror organization Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, announced on Tuesday that it was enacting an immediate and complete lockdown of the area after four Gaza residents were diagnosed as positive for the coronavirus. Residents of Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas on earth, will not be allowed to leave their homes, including for work or prayer, for at least 48 hours. Hamas’ leadership called for a global effort to “lift the Israeli blockade” over the region, and human rights groups warned of catastrophic consequences and a major humanitarian crisis in case of a pandemic outbreak. Meanwhile, a Qatari emissary is expected to reach Gaza on Tuesday in an effort to bring to a close the latest round of hostilities between Hamas and Israel. Over the past three weeks, Hamas launched hundreds of incendiary balloons and several rockets, torching agricultural lands and targeting villages in southern Israel. In response, Israeli fighter jets have conducted nightly airstrikes against military targets in Gaza.