Israel’s Health Ministry updated the statistics regarding the number of people who have contracted Covid-19 Coronavirus in Israel. According to the Ministry, an additional 177 people tested positive for the virus in over Shabbos. Thus far, 18,972 have had the virus at some point. Currently, 3,315 people have the virus. 26 of those people are on respirators and the total number of people who have died of the virus is 300. 15,357 people have recovered from the virus thus far, 47 since yesterday.

One of the people who tested positive was a worker at the President’s House. There is currently a discussion taking place regarding the number of other workers that will have to go into isolation and how this will affect the President himself.

Additionally, 3 security guards at the Prime Minister’s Residence have tested positive for the virus as well. The Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement that said that the Prime Minister has not contracted the disease and does not require isolation as the three were not in close proximity with the Prime Minister.

A student in Junior High School at the Yitzchak Navon Gymnasia in Holon tested positive for the virus. Due to the current rules, if one student or staff member tests positive the entire school must shut down. The Gymnasia is now closed until further notice. Studies will be conducted virtually. A spokesperson for the city said that the student feels well and that everyone who has come into contact with him has been identified and has received instructions from the Health Ministry.

Two fires broke out in the Eshkol Regional Council Area. It is suspected that the fires began due to balloon bombs. One fire caught in a wheat field, while the other caught near the Be’eri Forest. Firefighters worked to put out the fires.

Over the course of Friday night, numerous violent altercations took place in Hevron between the Jewish and Palestinian communities in the city. Stones were thrown and the tires of a Palestinian vehicle were slashed. In one of the altercations, Yeshiva students attacked a Palestinian man, near the checkpoint of the  Jewish community. A Golani soldier who was guarding the checkpoint saw what was happening and intervened in order to save the Palestinian. An IDF Spokesperson said: “Over the course of Friday night, there was a violent altercation between Israelis and Palestinians in Hevron. The incident included stone-throwing, and throwing Molotov cocktails. An IDF force that arrived at the scene disbursed the violent groups.”

Defense Minister Benny Gantz responded to the incident and Tweeted: “The Golani soldier who protected the Palestinian man in Hevron, acted in the way that we expect every soldier and commander in the IDF to act. This is according to the details that we received from reports up the chain of command. The IDF is sworn to protect the security of citizens in every place where it is active. I trust that the commanding officers in the IDF will investigate this incident properly.”

Arabs rioted in Jaffa and lit fire to City Hall, numerous vehicles, trees, and garbage cans, in protest over the planned removal and reburial of remains of graves in the  Muslim Cemetery in the city.

A 37-year-old pedestrian was seriously injured after he was hit by a car in Kfan Kana. United Hatzalah volunteers and staff from Magen David Adom treated the patient and transported him to Rambam hospital in Haifa.

A motorcyclist in his 20s was seriously injured after his motorcycle slipped near the town of Daburiyya. He was transported to the hospital by medical evac and was in serious condition at the time of transport.

A man in his 40s drowned in a private pool on Kedar street in Netanya. Volunteers from United Hatzalah and ambulance teams from Magen David Adom treated him and transported him to Laniado hospital. He was in serious condition at the time of transport.

Eight teams of firefighters as well as numerous firefighting planes and teams from K”KL responded to a large double bushfire near the town of Tarum approximately two miles north of Beit Shemesh. Firefighters worked tirelessly to prevent the fire from reaching the houses in the town.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)