Blockaded Gaza Strip free of coronavirus, but stepping up precautions

The Palestinian Gaza Strip enclave has remained free of the coronavirus, but authorities are taking precautions, closing schools after a state of emergency was declared last week.

Health officials have urged all returning travelers to go into home quarantine for 14 days and Gazans have been stockpiling sterilizers and other cleaning materials.

While some in Gaza advocate closing border crossings with Israel and Egypt entirely to stave off infection, others voiced concern about deepening economic hardship in the territory, where unemployment hovers around 50 percent.

“I don’t support closing the crossings. People have businesses they need to tend to,” said Shahima al-Sourani, 26, on going back into the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave from the southern Rafah border crossing with Egypt, where 55 cases of coronavirus including one death have been reported.

Read more:

Coronavirus: Saudi King Salman issues directives to provide $10 mln to WHO

Egypt confirms 33 new cases of coronavirus on Nile cruise ship

Netanyahu says Israel may broaden entry restriction due to coronavirus

US, Israel cancel military exercise over coronavirus: US command

Concern is also high in Gaza that if the coronavirus strikes, its hospitals, suffering from a chronic lack of equipment, will struggle to deal with the spread of the disease.

Check out our dedicated coronavirus site here.