The Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria have been relatively quiet because of the COVID-19 crisis.

However, in Judea and Samaria Palestinians continue throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles. In the Gaza Strip Hamas continues the routine training of its elite units (the nukhba).

In interviews for Palestinian Prisoners Day senior Hamas figures continue sending signals to Israel about their readiness to hold negotiations for an exchange of prisoners. Their top priority, according senior Hamas figure Mahmoud al-Zahar, are ailing and aged prisoners. The PA and Hamas are focusing most of their attention on the COVID-19 crisis. There are currently 314 reported cases in the PA and the number in the Gaza Strip has risen to 15.

According to reports, all the patients in the PA are stable and no one is in intensive care (Mai al-Kayla, PA minister of health, April 21, 2020). The number of cases in east Jerusalem has risen by 12 to 132. A woman from the Silwan neighborhood died in Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital (Ma’an, Wafa, April 21, 2020). She was the second COVID-19 fatality from east Jerusalem.

In the meantime the PA continues its smear campaign, accusing Israel of [allegedly deliberately] spreading COVID-19 to attack the national strength and health of the Palestinians.

Kamil Abu Rukun, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), said that such statements contradict the facts and harm the joint [Israeli-Palestinian] fight against the disease.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR