Coronavirus Israel Live: Cabinet Approves Three-week Lockdown Starting Friday

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza are dealing with a renewed coronavirus outbreak, leading to proposals and measures intended to curb its spread and mitigate the economic ramifications of the crisis by both Israeli and Palestinian authorities.

Israel currently has 40,347 active cases; 1,119 people have died. 

In the West Bank, there are 9,845 active cases, in Gaza 1,549. In the West Bank and Gaza, 240 people have died. 

LIVE UPDATES

8:00 A.M. Active cases top 40,000

Israel's Ministry of Health has reported that there are now 40,347 active cases out of a total of 156,596 cases.  

1,056 patients are hospitalized. 519 are in a serious condition, and 144 of them on ventilators. 1,119 people have died.

SUNDAY

11:57 P.M. Government lockdown plan allows for dozens to gather in synagogues

According to the national lockdown plan, synagogues across Israel will be allowed to host Rosh Hashanah prayer services. How many people will be able to attend the service depends on if the synagogue is in a "red" or a non-red area and the size of the building.

In a "red" area, "prayer shall be permitted in closed structures in groups of up to 10 people," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office and the Health Ministry read.  A maximum of 6 groups will be allowed.

"In areas that are not red, in closed structures, prayer shall be permitted in groups of up to 25 people." A maximum of 4 groups will be allowed. (Ido Efrati)

11:16 P.M. Government to reassess lockdown after two weeks

Israel's nationwide lockdown, which goes into effect on Friday at 2 P.M., would last until October 11, but the government will have to vote on it two weeks after it starts, according to the full text of the resolution endorsed earlier on Sunday. (Noa Landau)

22:48 P.M. Israel approaching 40,000 active cases

Israel's Ministry of Health has reported a total of 1,997 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the total cases to 155,604, with 39,479 of them considered active. Meanwhile, there were 16 additional deaths, with the new total standing at 1,119 deaths. 

1,056 patients are hospitalized. 519 are in a serious condition, and 144 of them on ventilators.

8:43 P.M. Cabinet approves three-week lockdown starting Friday

The Israeli government agreed to impose a three-week nationwide lockdown that would go into effect on Friday at 2 P.M., on the eve of Rosh Hashana holiday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a press briefing that warnings by health officials led to the government’s decision, which restricts Israelis to a 500-meter (about 0.3 miles) radius of their residence, but allowed to commute to work.

Crowds are limited to 10 people indoors and 20 people outdoors, and Netanyahu said a separate decision will be made on prayer services. Supermarkets and pharmacies will stay open. The public sector will operate with fewer staff, but non-governmental offices and businesses will not have to close, as long as they do not accept customers.

The full details of the government's decision are set to be released later on Sunday.

"I know those measures will exact a heavy price on us all," Netanyahu said. "This is not the kind of holiday we are used to. And we certainly won't be able to celebrate with our extended families."

Netanyahu, who has faced increasing criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis, said he instructed his finance minister to come up with a new economic package to assist businesses hurt by the lockdown. (Noa Landau)

>> Click here to read the full report

5:15 P.M. Schools to stay open at least until holiday eve, vote on lockdown impending

The government decided that Israel's school system will stay open until Friday, Rosh Hashanah eve, changing course from the initial decision to close schools already on Wednesday.

A two-week nationwide lockdown is planned to start on Friday, as approved by the ministerial committee on Israel's coronavirus response last week, but the government has yet to approve the proposal, which will be voted on later on Sunday. (Noa Landau)

3:33 P.M. Record coronavirus infections endanger Israeli health system, report says

Israel’s increasing rate of coronavirus infection is inching the country’s hospitals closer to maximum capacity, destabilizing the health system, a report by Israel's coronavirus information center said Sunday.

The center’s daily report said that the coronavirus is rapidly spreading in Israel, adding that the rate of infection during the past two weeks is the highest recorded since the outbreak began. (Ido Efrati)

>> Click here to read the full report

12:10 P.M. Litzman resigns over expected lockdown

Ultra-Orthodox minister and Netanyahu ally Yaakov Litzman resigned from government in protest over an expected lockdown on Sunday. 

Litzman is the chairman of the United Torah Judaism party and construction and housing minister. He had threatened to resign earlier Sunday if the coronavirus cabinet votes to impose a two-week lockdown ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

In a statement, Litzman said a lockdown during the High Holidays "will prevent hundreds of thousands of Jews, of all sectors, from praying in synagogues."

A UTJ source told Haaretz earlier today that Litzman is acting independently and that his decisions are not coordinated with the rest of the party. Litzman opposes the lockdown because it would prevent major events during the holiday, and he wants to signal that he still maintains control over the Gur Hasidic sect, among other reasons. (Aaron Rabinowitz)

11:10 A.M.  Coronavirus infection rate endangers stability of  health system, national report says

Israel's increasing rate of coronavirus infection is inching the country's hospitals closer to maximum capacity, destabilizing the health system, says a report by the military Coronavirus Command and Control Center on Sunday.

The Command Center's daily report said that the coronavirus is rapidly spreading in Israel, adding that the rate of infection during the past two weeks is the highest recorded since the outbreak began.

The report stressed that Israel's percentage of positive COVID-19 tests is one of the highest in the world. The report added that the number of seriously ill patients is on the rise, and expected to exceed 500 today. (Ido Efrati)   

8:45 A.M. Ultra-orthodox minister threatens to resign if lockdown is imposed

Construction and Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman, chairman of United Torah Judaism, told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would to resign from the government if the coronavirus cabinet votes to impose a lockdown ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

A UTJ source told Haaretz that Litzman is acting independently and that his decisions are not coordinated with the rest of the party. Litzman opposes the lockdown because it would prevent major events during the holiday, and he wants to signal that he still maintains control over the Gur Hasidic sect, among other reasons. 

Coronavirus Czar Ronni Gamzu visited the Gur beit midrash – or place of religious study – two weeks ago; Litzman believes the space can fit 2,000 people due to its size and number of exits, but the Health Ministry set its maximum capacity at 100. 

Later today, the cabinet is expected to approve a full lockdown beginning 6:00 A.M. Friday morning, about 12 hours before the start of Rosh Hashanah.

During the lockdown, the entire country will be considered a "red" zone, and people will be restricted to a 500-meter (0.3 miles) radius from their place of residence. All businesses, commerce, domestic tourism, places of entertainment and government offices that serve people in person will be closed, with the exception of essential services, grocery stores and supermarkets, pharmacies, hardware stores, medical supply stores and computer and cellphone stores and repair facilities. Restaurants will be limited to delivery and takeout service.

Government offices will operate at 30 percent of normal staffing levels, except for essential organizations. Businesses will be limited to 10 employees or 30 percent of normal staffing levels, whichever is higher. Essential organizations are exempt from these limits. (Chaim Levinson and Aaron Rabinowitz)

8:40 A.M. Some 500 new cases diagnosed since Saturday night

 The Health Ministry said that 495 more people have tested positive for the coronavirus since Saturday night, raising the nationwide tally of confirmed cases to 153,217, out of which 37,482 are active and 130 are on ventilators.

So far, 1,103 people have died from the virus and 114,624 have recovered.

The ministry added that 30,253 coronavirus tests were conducted on Saturday. (Haaretz)

SATURDAY

10:50 P.M. Israel registers 4,158 new cases on Saturday

Israel registered nearly 200 new coronavirus cases in just several hours on Saturday evening, raising the total for the day to 4,158. The number of active cases stands at 38,119 and the total to date is 152,722. Twenty-six people died in less in 24 hours, raising the death toll in Israel to 1,103. 

8:30 P.M. Minister quarantined after exposure to coronavirus

Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel was ordered to quarantine after one of his staffers tested positive for coronavirus. Hendel tested negative but is said to continue self-isolating per Health Ministry regulations. (Jonathan Lis)

7:30 P.M. More than 1,000 coronavirus patients hospitalized in Israel

The Health Ministry reported that 1,018 coronavirus patients in Israel are currently hospitalized, a record number since the end of the first wave in April. Of those, 495 are in serious condition, and 138 of them on life support.

The ministry also reported 3,961 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases since the outbreak began to 152,525, with 37,926 of them currently active.

Additionally, 1,101 COVID-19 patients have died so far. (Haaretz)

6:40 P.M. Almost a million Israelis told to enter isolation since July, Health Ministry data shows 

From July 1 to the present, about 978,000 people were asked to enter isolation, according to a Health Ministry report filed with a Knesset panel. 164,655 of those were in the past week.

Israel has used the Shin Bet security service's systems to monitor those who come into contact with confirmed coronavirus cases. Being the only country to use this kind of technology to monitor the spread of the virus, it has a relatively high number of citizens entering isolation. (Jonathan Lis)

5:56 P.M. Active cases in Israel top 35,000

Israel's Health Ministry reported 1,185 new coronavirus cases since its noon update, bringing the total number of cases since the outbreak began to 148,594, with 35,740 of them active.

979 patients are hospitalized, with 486 in serious condition and 146 of them on life support. 1,090 COVID-19 patients have died so far. (Haaretz)

12:43 P.M. Health Ministry records nine more deaths, bringing total to 1,086

A noon update from Israel's Health Ministry has the current total number of cases at 147,379, out of which 34,731 are considered active. 

The deaths of nine patients were recorded since morning numbers were released, bringing the total death toll to 1,086. There are 482 patients in serious conditions, and 148 of them are currently on ventilators. (Haaretz)

6:51 A.M. Total number of cases rises to 146,542, while active cases drop slightly overnight

Figures from Israel's Health Ministry showed that active cases had gone down overnight to 33,920, as 1,597 were added to the number of patients who had recovered. 

There are currently 489 patients in serious condition in Israeli hospitals, with 134 of them on ventilators. The death toll remains at 1,077. (Haaretz)

1:00 A.M. Israel diagnoses 4,429 news cases in a day

The number of coronavirus cases in Israel rose by 4,429 to reach 34,505 active cases on Thursday, while the death toll rose to 1,077, Health Ministry figures show. 

In addition, 144 patients are on ventilators, 486 are in serious condition and 109,915 cases have recovered.

The ministry added that 41,210 coronavirus tests were conducted on Thursday. (Haaretz)

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