According to the World Health Organization there is a total of 175,883 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 7,273 known deaths in the 22 countries that make up the eastern Mediterranean region.
Palestinians have entered the third week of lockdown across the West Bank and Gaza as measures to slow the transmission of the coronavirus continue. With schools and businesses closed across the region, many families are choosing to self-isolate at home.
The morning after President Donald Trump committed to recognizing Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank during the release of his much-awaited Middle East peace plan, Palestinians protested the deal that would annex the Jordan Valley, the breadbasket of the West Bank, by motoring trackers through an Israeli checkpoint.
Despite a reported truce agreement between Islamic Jihad and Israel, Palestinians in Gaza are still afraid go out in the streets and return to normal life.
“You can’t divide the concept of freedom. Fighting for women’s rights stems from the same concept as fighting Israeli colonization”, said Lema Nazeeh, one of the organizers of a protest against gender-based violence in Ramallah. The protest was one of twelve across Palestine/Israel and the diaspora.
Mohammed Asad’s photo essay of the most beautiful places and things in Gaza.
Every year during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Israeli authorities approve a package to “relax” the restrictions on movement for West Bank Palestinians to facilitate worshippers’ trips to Jerusalem. As a result, tens of thousands of Palestinians headed to Qalandiya checkpoint, Bethlehem 300 checkpoint, and Zaytoun checkpoint early on Friday mornings to take advantage of the unusual regulations. Ahmad Al-Bazz reports from Qalandiya and Bethlehem to show what life under Israel control looks like.
On the morning of Friday, May 3, Israeli forces suppressed a joint action organized by Palestinian, Israeli and International Jewish activists to rehabilitate historical roads that are used by Palestinian communities in South Hebron Hills in the West Bank. Around 17 were arrested, including two photojournalists, who were interrogated in Kiryat Arba police station before getting released after 8 hours of detention.
On Monday, Israel doubled the area where Palestinians can fish in the Mediterranean Sea off of the Gaza Strip as part of Egyptian brokered talks with Hamas. The distance fisherman can operate in was extended from 6 nautical miles at the narrowest sea corridor, to 15 nautical miles at the widest. Yet Gaza fisherman say the relaxed restriction has no impact.
Hundreds of Palestinians organized small protests on Tuesday across the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in solidarity with prisoners held inside of Israel, following tensions at Ktzi’ot Prison in the southern Negev Desert where two guards were stabbed earlier this week.