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Palestinian workers in Israel face more restrictions amid coronavirus outbreak

The Palestinian government in the West Bank has escalated its precautionary measures on Palestinian workers returning from Israel in order to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.
HEBRON, March 22, 2020 -- Palestinian workers try to enter Israel through a checkpoint between the West Bank city of Hebron and Beersheva, March 22, 2020. The Israeli authorities announced late on Saturday that all crossings to and from Israel will be closed to limit the spread of COVID-19. A total of 53 Palestinians have been infected with the virus since March 5, and 17 of them have recovered, the health ministry in the West Bank said earlier Saturday. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/xio

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Palestinian government in the West Bank has been taking tighter precautionary measures for Palestinian workers returning from their workplaces in Israel. However, many of those laborers preferred to stay in Israel for weeks to protect the sources of their livelihoods and to prevent the possible infection of relatives in the West Bank. This comes as the government announced March 25 the first coronavirus death in the West Bank, of a woman who caught it from her son who works in Israel.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh demanded March 24 that all Palestinians working in Israel return home in light of the increasing number of infection cases in Israel. As of April 2, 6,808 cases of infections had been recorded in Israel, with 34 deaths. Meanwhile, 160 cases had been confirmed in Palestine after 15 Palestinian workers returning from Israel tested positive April 1; 12 of the 160 cases were recorded in the Gaza Strip.

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