Palestine extends state of emergency as coronavirus outbreak worsens

Abbas issued a decree extending the state of emergency in Palestine for 30 more days, starting Tuesday, as cases continue to grow.

Meanwhile, vaccines will be readily available during the middle of February.

Speaking ahead of a Palestinian Authority weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said the procurement of vaccines had been secured through various sources, including the UN-backed COVAX programme, set up to assist middle and lower-income states. 

"Vaccination will start in the middle of this month," Shtayyeh said. 

The prime minister said that vaccines would be allocated to the 2.8 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the 2 million people in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Hamas movement. 

Israel, which is conducting the fastest per capita vaccination campaign in the world, has faced mounting international pressure to ensure the Palestinians are vaccinated. 

Read also: Winston Churchill's grandson deplores Israel's refusal to vaccinate Palestinians against coronavirus

Under Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law specifically include a duty to maintain "public health and hygiene in the occupied territory, with particular reference to the adoption and application of the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics".

The PA has recorded at least 107,000 coronavirus cases, including more than 1,300 deaths. 

In Gaza, Hamas has registered more than 51,000 coronavirus cases, including 520 deaths. 

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