23 July 2020 Last Updated: 4:00 p.m. CURRENT EVENTS IN LIGHT OF COVID-19

The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development - REFORM

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As the highly contagious Coronavirus, COVID-19, is affecting 213 countries and territories around the world and 2 international conveyances, Palestine attempts to contain a local outbreak that has effectively halted daily life and led to tens of thousands of people entering quarantine.1

Currently, the Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that there is currently 23,761 people placed in quarantine, both at home and at designated facilities. Although 172,382 individuals in the and have been tested for COVID-19, there remains a deficiency in the amount of testing kits, as there is an increase in the number of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. 2

Global Level3

# of Covid-19 Cases # of Recoveries # of Deaths # of Currently Infected Patients 15,404,081 9,382,400 631,036 5,393,645

1https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ 2http://www.wafa.ps/ 3https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ Local Level4 Location # of Covid-19 # of # of Deaths # of Currently Cases Recoveries Infected Patients West Bank 11,800 3,326 69 8,405 (including Including 2,131 in (674) (3) (1,454) Jerusalem) Gaza Strip 75 68 1 6 Today, 23.07.2020, the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, announced that there are 596 new people who have COVID-19, bringing the total cases to 11,875. Since Monday, 20.07.2020, there has been an overall increase of 1,355 cases in Palestine. The Ministry further indicated that there are 3,394 recoveries and 70 deaths, while 8,411 remain active across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including occupied Jerusalem. Sources: The Palestinian Ministry of Health’s Website, Ma’an News Agency and Wafa News Agency

Yesterday, 22.07.2020, the Palestinian Ministry of Social Development distributed food and medical supplies to those who have COVID-19 in the refugee camps, and indicated that it is working to mobilize funding for future interventions. Sources: Wattan News Agency and Wafa News Agency

Yesterday, the Palestinian Monetary Authority issued new instructions to banks operating in Palestine, as part of its continuous efforts to mitigate the economic effects resulting from the consequences of the Coronavirus. Sources: The Palestinian Monetary Authority’s Website and Wafa News Agency

Yesterday, as part of its response plan to the COVID-19 pandemic in the West Bank, World Vision Jerusalem - West Bank - Gaza (JWG) signed a partnership agreement with the Palestinian Ministry of Labor. The agreement aims to provide the Ministry with protection material against the virus for three months, covering the need of 11 vocational training centers and targeting 1,500 students and teachers in all governorates of the West Bank. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Ma’an News Agency

On Tuesday, 21.07.2020, Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, indicated in an interview with Wafa News Agency that limiting the spread of COVID-19 in Palestine will become more difficult in light of the Israeli occupying forces’ prevention of the Palestinian Security Services from working in Area C, as well as the lack of the security cooperation regarding the return of workers to their governorates. She further called on these workers to visit the medical centers in order to be examined for COVID-19. Dr. Al-Kela added: "We are now in the second wave of the pandemic, and it is expected by the World Health Organization that we will experience a severe third wave in the fall and the beginning of next winter.“ Sources: Wafa News Agency, Wattan News Agency, Shms News Agency and Sama News Agency

4https://www.corona.ps/details Yesterday, Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. , announced that the 18th shipment of medical equipment and supplies, granted by some countries to Palestine through the United Nations, have arrived. He further indicated that the rest of the shipments will arrive within a few days. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Palestine News Network

Several attacks and arrests by the Israeli occupying forces took place across Palestine:

1. Today, 9 young Palestinian men were arrested across several Governorates in the West Bank, including: , and Al-Bireh, and as well as Shu’fat Refugee Camp in occupied Jerusalem. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network

2. Today, Israeli settlers attacked a quarry, wrote insulting slogans on the walls and burned a bulldozer in the village of Jamma'in, south of the Governorate. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Ajyal Radio Network

3. Today, Israeli settlers, with the protection from the occupying forces, began bulldozing lands in Al-Naqqar area, south of the Nablus Governorate. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Ma’an News Agency

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4. Today, five Israeli military vehicles, including two bulldozers and three tanks, invaded and bulldozed several meters of Palestinian lands in the northern Gaza Strip. Sources: Wafa News Agency and A;-Najah News Agency

5. Today, three homes, barracks for livestock and a water well, belonging to Palestinians, were issued demolition orders, under the pretext of not having licenses, in Al-Waljah village, west of the . Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network

6. Yesterday, the occupying forces notified a Palestinian home owner to stop the construction of his house and issued demolition orders for the home and four agricultural houses, under the pretext of not having licenses, in Al-Waljah village, west of the Bethlehem Governorate. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Wattan News Agency Yesterday, China’s UN envoy, Zhang Jun, told the United Nations Security Council that China stands behind the "just cause” of the Palestinians, as he pledged China’s backing for the internationally led peace process. He further stated: “China supports [Palestinian Authority] President Abbas’s call for an international peace conference and to enlarge the multi-lateral mechanism for peace.” Sources: Wafa News Agency and Ma’an News Agency

Today, the Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed that total number of COVID-19 is 56,748, of which 433 died and 23,560 recovered. According to statistics sent out by the Health Ministry, of the 32,755 active cases in Israel, 295 are in serious condition. Sources: Ma’an News Agency and i24 News Agency

Miscellaneous: • The Trump administration and Pfizer have reached a deal to produce 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. The vaccine will need emergency use authorization from officials before it can be distributed. • Australia announced its economy has been severely damaged by the Coronavirus pandemic, with growth falling by more than 4% in the past fiscal year. • Brazil's government has claimed that the local COVID-19 outbreak is "under control" despite tens of thousands of new cases being announced every day. • According to Health Minister Olivier Véran, France will distribute 40 million face masks to the country's poorest citizens. • The United Nations warned that the Coronavirus pandemic is "wreaking havoc" across Arab countries, where cases are alarmingly rising across the region, with 55 million people at risk from the virus and in need of humanitarian assistance. • South Korea has fallen into recession as the Coronavirus pandemic takes a toll on all of the world’s major economies. • In the past two weeks, the US recorded more than 915,000 new cases of COVID-19 - that's more than the cases reported across the country for the whole month of June.

Following are links of useful resources for information and updates on COVID-19: 1. http://www.corona.ps/details 2. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses 3. https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1 4. https://www.moh.gov.ps/portal/en/ 5. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical- guidance/infectionprevention-and-control 6. https://who18.createsend.com/campaigns/reports/viewCampaign.aspx?d=j&c=99FA4938D049E3A8&ID =FEB54C9F4C307DFB2540EF23F30FEDED&temp=False&tx=0&source=Report

If you would like more information, please contact the World Health Organization through WhatsApp on: +41798931892.