At exactly six o´clock in the evening, today, Thursday, the Gaza Strip will enter a complete curfew, as part of government measures to confront the outbreak of the Coronavirus, provided that it ends at seven in the morning next Sunday.
The government in Gaza confirmed that the door to the exception is completely closed during the two days of closure, and movement is completely prohibited within the neighborhoods of the Gaza Strip, and movement is permitted only for police and security vehicles, health, municipalities, cleaning workers, the electricity company, and pharmacies within a specified range.
"It has been decided to impose a complete curfew on Friday and Saturday every week, from December 11th, until the end of this month," Interior Ministry spokesman Iyad Al-Bazm announced.
He also added that "mosques, schools, universities and kindergartens have been completely closed, starting next Saturday, with the exception of high school students and nurseries."
Because of the epidemiological situation
In turn, Salama Maarouf, head of the government media office, said today, Thursday, that the decision to impose a limited closure on Friday and Saturday came after assessing the epidemiological situation and the increase in the number of deaths and infections among hundreds of citizens with the Coronavirus, in addition to the failure of many citizens to abide by the procedures and instructions of the Ministry of Health, stressing that There are no exceptions to the closure decision.
In an interview with the state-run Al-Rai Radio, Maarouf explained that tightening and increasing some measures, especially with regard to increasing the daily curfew hours from 6.30 instead of eight, and closing mosques and schools, came with the aim of limiting the spread of the virus, preserving the health of citizens and breaking the chain of infection. And in a way that does not affect the general interest of citizens and their daily interests.
He added that the choice to impose a curfew on Friday and Saturday in particular, came because of the increase in social visits in them, in addition to the increase in the purchasing status of citizens on these two days designated as weekend leave, and to prevent access to the comprehensive closure.
Maarouf stated that the door to exception on the two days of the curfew is completely closed, after reviewing all the data and drawing lessons and lessons from previous experiences, and to reach the desired goal, indicating that all bakeries, media outlets and some pharmacies will be included in the ban decision as well.
He pointed out that the media must take all the required measures during the two days of closure, and proceed with their work according to the limitations that were published today by the media office, such as providing information materials for all media outlets, high quality, relying on technological means, social media, and making use of programs and applications. He indicated that the phones of the Media Office, the Public Relations Department and the Ministry of the Interior are open to all journalists, to help them complete their work as required, in accordance with the restrictions that have been taken to make this closure successful.
Maarouf confirmed that all legal measures announced against violators of the closure decision will be taken, including fines and a two-week arrest, expecting that this measure will have a positive impact on the epidemiological situation, after intensifying all efforts to make the curfew decision successful.
The police finish the preparations
The police announced the completion of preparations and arrangements to start applying the curfew and the complete closure on Friday and Saturday of every week, starting from Thursday evening .
Brigadier General Ali Al-Nadi, Director of Police Operations and Communications said that all components of the police apparatus and departments, and the support of the security services, participate in implementing the curfew, according to the central emergency plan to confront the Corona pandemic .
The dean, "the club," added, in a press statement, that the closure decision starts from 6:30 pm on Thursday and ends at 7 am on Sunday .
He pointed out that police directors in all governorates will closely follow the implementation of the curfew decision and the complete closure, in cooperation with all relevant authorities in the ministries and institutions concerned .
And he indicated that the governorates will be separated from each other during the application of the curfew, and that they will be divided into residential blocks. To facilitate adjustment and control .
Regarding fishermen working at sea, the brigadier general of the club indicated that they would be allowed to enter the sea on Saturday evening according to certain arrangements; So the catch is available for trading on the market on Sunday morning .
He explained that this order will be applied to vegetable merchants, who will be allowed to move in the late hours of Saturday evening to distribute them to the provinces .
The "club" stressed that the closure will be comprehensive and strict, and only police and security vehicles, health, municipalities, cleaning workers, the electricity company, and pharmacies will be allowed to move within a specified range .
He stressed that any citizen who violates the closure and the curfew will not be tolerated, and that he will be arrested and legal measures will be taken against him .
With regard to very urgent cases, he called on the "club" to call through the toll-free numbers for police operations (100) and central operations at the Ministry of Interior (100), in case of an emergency and urgent matter, indicating that the necessary assistance will be provided to those who need it .
In conclusion, the Director of Police Operations called on citizens to fully adhere to the closure and curfew decisions. In the interest of their safety and the safety of society, and so that "we can reduce the spread of the virus ."
