COVID-19: Israel stops testing samples coming from Gaza

JERUSALEM

Israel’s defense minister has cancelled an initiative taken by army for coronavirus testing on samples coming from the blockaded Gaza Strip, an Israeli daily said on Wednesday.

The Israeli army had recently announced an initiative to perform 50 coronavirus testing per day on samples from the Gaza Strip.

The initiative took place for two days and only 100 samples were tested at one of the army's bases on the outskirts of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli government cancelled the initiative, daily Maariv reported, adding that Defense Minister Naftali Bennett himself was not aware of the army’s initiative due to "lack of communication."

Israeli authorities, civil society and media outlets have warned that an outbreak of the coronavirus in the Gaza Strip might pose a serious risk to Israel.

At least 17 coronavirus cases have been recorded in the Gaza Strip that has been under blockade for 14 years.

Currently, testing for the coronavirus is being supervised by Palestinian Authority and the World Health Organization.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat