The Spread of Covid-19 in Judea and Samaria (Updated to November 30, 2020)

Overview

• In the Gaza Strip the sharp rise in the number of active Covid-19 cases continues, standing at 9,226, up from 6,004 a week ago. The rate of positive test results is approximately 30%. Medical sources in Gaza complain of a lack of medical equipment, especially oxygen for patients on ventilators. Seventy-eight percent of ICU beds are occupied by Covid-19 cases. However, despite the rise in infection, the Hamas administration has still kept from imposing a general lockdown, primarily concerned about delivering another blow to the economy, which has been severely hit by the epidemic (according to the head of the Palestinian Businessmen’s Association in Gaza, so far the Strip has suffered direct and indirect loss of more than $1 billion).
• Hamas administration spokesmen continue blaming Israel the Gaza Strip’s medical crisis. Kamil Abu Rukun, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), sent a message to the residents of the Gaza Strip through a video posted to the social networks, stating that Israel had not rejected any request received from the Gaza Strip for the delivery of medical equipment. He noted that Israel is assisting the health system in Gaza and has asked for support from the international community.
• In Judea and Samaria as well the sharp rise in the number of active Covid-19 cases continues. During the past week 5,948 new active cases were detected, up from 5,240 a week ago. As of November 29, 2020, there were 10,101 active cases, up from 7,009 a week ago. There are currently 67 ICU patients, 12 on ventilators. Forty-four Palestinians died this past week. The Nablus district continues as having the largest number of Covid-19 cases. The rate of positive test results is approximately 21%.
• At the end of last week a full lockdown was imposed on the Palestinian Authority (PA) territories, but apparently it was enforced only in the large cities. Economic sources criticized the full lockdown. On the eve of the lockdown there was intensive movement in the cities and the markets were crowded. Despite the rise in coronavirus infection and despite the enforcement of the full lockdown by the Palestinian security services, weddings and other mass gatherings were held. In the Bethlehem district preparations are being made for Christmas, although with a lower profile than in years past and without pilgrims or tourists, and even without local residents.
• This past week weddings continued to be held in the villages around Jerusalem, some, it can be assumed, by residents of east Jerusalem, even during the full lockdown in the PA territories. Weddings was held in Kafr ‘Aqab, which is under Israeli jurisdiction. About 12,000 Muslims attended the Friday prayers on the Temple Mount, where there was extreme crowding with no masks and no social distancing.

The Gaza Strip

Extent of the Covid-19 infection

In the Gaza Strip the number of new active cases continues rising sharply. Between November 24 and 30, 2020, 5,189 new cases were detected (about 740 new cases a day), up from with 4,472 a week ago. As of November 30, 2020, the number of active cases was 9,226 (up from 6,004 a week ago); there have been 102 coronavirus-related deaths, up from 69 a week ago. Of the 346 Gazans who have been hospitalized, 126 are in serious or critical condition.

Positive daily test results

The increase of active cases inside the Gaza Strip over the past month

The increase of active cases inside the Gaza Strip over the past five days

• Among the newly-infected are Safian Abu Zayda, a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council and a senior figure in the Muhammad Dahlan faction; and Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu (Amad and Taher al-Nunu’s Facebook page, November 25, 2020).

The Rafah Crossing

• The ministry of health in Gaza reported that on November 26, 2020, the Rafah Crossing closed after three days of activity. According to the ministry, while the crossing was open 2,696 Palestinians left the Gaza Strip and 829 entered (Twitter account of the ministry of the interior in Gaza, November 27, 2020.

 
Palestinians who enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing are tested for Covid-19 (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 25, 2020).

The public health system in Gaza’s difficulties in coping with the rise in infection

• Dr. Yusuf Abu Rish, deputy minister of health, said at a press conference that currently the main challenge is providing oxygen for patients on ventilators. He also said that 78% of the beds in ICUs are occupied by Covid-19 patients. He warned that a full lockdown would be imposed on the Gaza Strip and called on local residents to strictly follow health guidelines, which is the only way to prevent the spread of the virus (al-Ra’i news agency, November 25, 2020). Dr. Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for the ministry of health in the Gaza Strip, said that the way to combat Covid-19 today was to provide the oxygen needed by the hospitals. He said the virus had spread to all parts of the Gaza Strip (Sawa, Dunia al-Watan, November 28, 2020).
• Fathi Abu Warda, advisor to the minister of health in Gaza, announced that in coordination with the minister of health, on November 26, 2020, 20 ventilators were delivered to the Gaza Strip, 15 from the PA and five from the UN. Also delivered were 50 oxygen cylinders, donated by a commercial firm (Dunia al-Watan, November 26, 2020).
• Mohammed al-Emadi, chairman of Qatar’s National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, said that in accordance with a request of the ministry of health in Gaza, in the coming days the Committee would begin supplying oxygen cylinders to the European Gaza Hospital in Gaza City, at a cost of $55,000. He said they would be sufficient for two weeks (Sawa, November 28, 2020).

Continuing preventive measures

• The Hamas administration enforces a nightly curfew along with additional restrictions in infection epicenters. Despite the worsening of the general situation, so far the Hamas leadership has abstained from changing its instructions and restrictions, and has not imposed a general lockdown, primarily out of concern of an economic collapse. The Hamas police force reported that over the weekend 83 local residents violated the curfew and 50 people driving cars were caught without masks. The police closed 42 businesses, one shopping mall and two mosques where guidelines had been violated (al-Ra’i news agency, November 29, 2020).

Coronavirus-related economic losses in the Gaza Strip

• Ali al-Hayek, head the Palestinian Businessmen’s Association in the Gaza Strip, estimated that the direct and indirect economic loss to the Gaza Strip caused by the spread of Covid-19 since the closure of August 2020 stood at more than $1 billion. The rate of unemployment is 80% and of poverty, 75%. Only 20% of Gazan businesses returned to activity. He said losses were in the fields of industry, commerce, tourism, transportation, education, health and employment (al-Quds, November 29, 2020). He called for a national rescue program to cope with the situation (Palinfo Twitter account, November 29, 2020).

Blaming Israel for the Hamas administration’s difficulties in coping with the Covid-19 crisis

• Hamas spokesman continue accusing Israel of mounting obstacles to the combat of Covid-19 in the Gaza Strip. Musheir al-Masri, spokesman for the Hamas faction in the Palestinian Legislative Council, said the administration in the Gaza Strip was increasing its efforts to halt the spread of Covid-19. however, the “siege” imposed by Israel [allegedly] contributes significantly to the administration’s inability to cope with the problem. He said that first of all the “siege” has to be lifted, after which it would be possible to overcome all other difficulties (al-Aqsa, November 29, 2020).

In the wake of those accusations, Israeli COGAT Kamil Abu Rukun appealed to the residents of the Gaza Strip in a video posted on the social networks. He said Israel had not rejected any request it had received to deliver medical equipment to the Gaza Strip, adding that Israel was working to help the medical system in the Gaza Strip and also seeking to recruit the international community for support. He said that so far dozens of ventilators had been delivered to the Gaza Strip as well as PRC machines that raised testing capabilities from 200 tests to 2,500 per day. In addition, scores of mobile oxygen stations and inhalators had been had been delivered for hospital and home use, as had 600 tons of medical equipment and drugs (Radio Kol Hai, November 25, 2020).

Judea and Samaria

Extent of Covid-19 infection in Judea and Samaria (updated to November 29, 2020)

This past week as well the number of active cases in Judea and Samaria continued rising with the detection of 5,948 new cases, up from 5,240 a week ago. As of November 29, 2020, the number of active cases in Judea and Samaria stood at 10,101, up from 7,009 a week ago. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak in Judea and Samaria, 63,687 active cases have been detected. Sixty-seven patients are in ICUs, 12 of them on ventilators. Forty-four people died this week; 59 last week. On November 29, 2020, the number of tests administered in Judea and Samaria was 3,791, with a positive return rate of 25.24%. According to the ministry of health in Ramallah, on November 29, 2020, there were 799 active cases in east Jerusalem, up from 543 a week ago. According to the Jerusalem municipality, the number of active cases was 642.

Covid-19 infection in Judea and Samaria (according to the PA)

The spread of Covid-19 infection (according to the PA)

Geographic distribution of COVID-19 epicenters

Overview

The Nablus district has the largest number of Covid-19 cases and steepest rise in infection, with 2,964 new cases, up from 2,233 a week ago. Infection in the Hebron district has begun climbing again. The distribution of active cases in Judea and Samaria (10,101), by district, as of November 29, 2020, was the following: Nablus, 2,964; Bethlehem, 1,263; Hebron, 1,082; Jenin, 1,036; Ramallah, 1,013; Tulkarm, 700; Qalqilya, 632; Tubas, 506; Salfit, 427; the villages around Jerusalem, 299; and Jericho, 179.

The distribution of active cases in the various districts

Full lockdown over the weekend

The PA imposed a full lockdown throughout Judea and Samaria over the weekend of November 27-28, 2020. Ali Abd Rabu, in charge of preventive medicine in the ministry of health in Ramallah, said the Palestinian government decided to impose the lockdown to break the chain of infection and reduce the rise in active cases (Ma’an, November 26, 2020). Dr. Ghassan Nimr, spokesman for the ministry of health in Ramallah, was told by an interviewer that the general lockdown had been imposed only on large cities and not on the rural area. He agreed that was in fact the case and added that only 60% of the public obeyed the lockdown (Facebook page of Dr. Ghassan Nimr, November 29, 2020).

• The full lockdown was criticized by the Palestinian Office of Commercial Affairs, which claimed that the timing was inappropriate and that before imposing the lockdown the government had not consulted with the private sector. Moreover, the Office claimed the lockdown was useless and was imposed only in the city centers (Ma’an, November 24, 2020). Before the lockdown went into effect people crowded into the markets to shop (Palinfo Twitter account, November 26, 2020).

   
Right: The market in Nablus on the eve of the lockdown (Palinfo Twitter account, November 26, 2020). Left: Palestinians from the Bethlehem district crowd on the Palestinian side of the Rachel Crossing try to enter Israel before the lockdown goes into effect. The dense crowding at the Crossing is liable to be a source of infection (Palinfo Twitter account, November 29, 2020).

Nablus district

The Nablus district still has the steepest rise in Covid-19 infection with 2,964 new cases this past week, up from 2,233 a week ago.

Number of active cases in the Nablus district

Hebron district

In the Hebron district Covid-19 infections are rising after several weeks when the numbers declined. As of November 29, 2020, the number of active cases stood at 1,082, up from 750 a week ago. The Hebron district currently has the third largest number of cases in the PA territories.

Number of active cases in the Hebron district

Bethlehem district

This past week the sharp rise in the number of active cases continued in the Bethlehem district, whose number is second to that of the Nablus district. As of November 29, 2020, there were 1,263 active cases, up from 1,072 a week ago.

• The city of Bethlehem is making preparations for Christmas. The minister of tourism said this year the celebrations will be different from past years, because there will be no tourists or pilgrims. According to Hana Hananya, deputy Bethlehem mayor, the celebrations will be limited and for the most part limited to the social networks and television. A Christmas tree will be lit in front of the Church of the Nativity and a limited number of visitors will be allowed to enter the church to prevent crowding. The Christmas Mass will be attended only by 20 nuns (Ma’an, November 28, 2020).
• Kamil Hamid, the governor of the Bethlehem district, announced the closing of the district’s education administration after active cases were detected in its offices (Facebook page of the governor of the Bethlehem district, November 28, 2020). In addition, four schools will be closed and classes will be held on Zoon (Ma’an, November 28, 2020).

Jenin district

The sharp rise in the number of active cases in the Jenin district continues. As of November 29, 2020, there were 1,036 active cases, up from 617 a week ago. The Palestinian police in Jenin reported that over the weekend they had closed 290 businesses and detained 16 café owners for violating the PA’s full lockdown. In addition, they dispersed three weddings held in violation of the health guidelines and instituted legal action against the wedding organizers (Palestinian police Facebook page, November 29, 2020).

   
Violating the full lockdown: a wedding in the village of Ra’i (Facebook page of Rotana Recording in the village of Ra’i, November 27, 2020).

The Qalqilya district

There was a significant rise in the number of active cases in the Qalqilya district. As of November 29, 2020, the number of cases was 632, up from 385 a week ago. The Palestinian police reported that over the weekend they had closed four cafés and dispersed two weddings held in violation of the health guidelines, and instituted legal action against the organizers (Palestinian police Facebook page, November 29, 2020)

The villages around Jerusalem

As of November 29, 2020, the number of active Covid-19 cases in the villages around Jerusalem rose to 299, up from 228 a week ago. Despite the rise and the general lockdown, weddings continued in the villages. It can be assumed that some of them were held by residents of east Jerusalem. The Palestinian police reported that they had closed four reception venues operating in violation of health guidelines. In addition, they dispersed four weddings held in three wedding halls in al-E’izariya, and the hall owners were fined (Palestinian police Facebook page, November 29, 2020.

The East Jerusalem Neighborhoods

According to the PA, as of November 29, 2020, there were 507 new cases, up from 397 a week ago, bringing the number of active cases to 799, up from 543 a week ago. According to the Jerusalem municipality the number of active cases stood at 642.

The number of active Covid-19 cases in east Jerusalem, according to the PA

The number of active Covid-19 cases in east Jerusalem, according to the Jerusalem municipality, November 29, 2020

   
Friday prayer on the Temple Mount. Reportedly, there were 12,000 worshippers. No social distancing, almost no masks (Palinfo Twitter account, November 29, 2020).

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