Seven Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli forces in several parts of Gaza Strip on Friday, the Ministry of Health said. Clashes broke out in the area of al-Faraheen east of Khan Yunis, near the Nahal Oz kibbutz east of Gaza, and near the Beit Hanoun crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. The spokesman for the ministry of health in Gaza, Ashraf al-Qidra, said seven people were wounded after Israeli forces fired live bullets and tear gas at the protesters. Qidra added that one Palestinian suffered serious injuries after being shot in the head. An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed to Ma’an that there had been clashes in the Gaza Strip on Friday after “hundreds” allegedly tried to breach the buffer zone. more
Until now, the besieged Gaza Strip has stayed free of the novel coronavirus spreading across the world. As the Gaza Strip has been under a stringent Israeli-led blockade for nearly 13 years, the spread of the coronavirus - officially known as COVID-19 - has become the topic of discussion for many Palestinians, with some joking that the blockade was preventing them from being exposed.But as authorities in the coastal Palestinian enclave gear up to contain any potential outbreak, serious questions have arisen about the risks and implications of such a scenario. But given its already difficult humanitarian situation and high population density, an outbreak in the Gaza Strip could prove to be catastrophic, health officials have warned. "If the virus enters Gaza and spreads, it will get out of hand," Gaza Ministry of Health spokesperson Majdi Thuhair told Middle East Eye, as he explained that a severe shortage of resources and personnel would make it near impossible