Palestinians confirm another virus case, bringing total to 374

Palestinian Authority Health Minister Mai al-Kaila announces a new confirmed case of the coronavirus in the West Bank, bringing the total number in the Palestinian territories to 374.

The patient is a resident of Hebron who works in an Israeli slaughterhouse in the Negev, al-Kaila says. For months, the PA has accused Israel of not doing enough to protect Palestinian workers in Israel and even of purposely allowing them to infect other Palestinians by not streamlining their return to the West Bank — a charge that Israel has vehemently denied.

The latest case comes four days after some 14,500 workers entered Israel from the West Bank, out of 39,000 granted permits by Israeli authorities, according to the Defense Ministry.

The workers are returning to jobs frozen for over a month, after the West Bank and much of Israel’s economy went into lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The jobs are mainly in construction, agriculture and industrial plants.

The move comes after Israeli and Palestinian officials reached an agreement that includes a provision that Israel will supply the workers with protective gear, including face masks and gloves.

As of this morning, there have been 20 confirmed virus cases in Gaza and 354 in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank.

— Jacob Magid