Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas declared a 30-day state of emergency on Thursday (March 5th) after coronavirus cases were reported in Bethlehem.

Footage filmed on Saturday (March 7th) in the Gaza strip showed several public buildings, including schools and universities, were closed as a result of the emergency measures.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic) Marwan Al Arabeed, Gaza resident:
"Regarding the closure of Palestinian universities and these schools, it affects the public sector, and measures should be taken in case of any event regarding this alleged virus. There are medical committees that do the work necessary for any person infected with regard to this virus, but stopping movement in the Gaza Strip and stopping education and strikes is incorrect and useless."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic) Muhammad Al Qurm, Gaza resident:
"This disease will be temporary, and hopefully these diseases will not be seen due to the weather and will not enter the Gaza Strip, but this is a great burden on schools."

Declaring a state of emergency in the occupied Palestinian territories to fight the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decr declaring a state of emergency across the occupied territories for a month.

As part of the emergency state, academic facilities (schools, universities, and institutes),In the Gaza Strip .



Video time 00:00-01:11

Footage showing the closure of the Islamic University in the Gaza Strip, affiliated with Hamas, for fear of spreading the Corona virus.

Video time 01:11-03:38

Footage showing : the closure of UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip, as well as the closure of government schools, as well as a complete cessation of movement in the Gaza Strip



First interview/ Citizen / Marwan Al arabeed

Video time03:38-04:09

Regarding the strike of Palestinian universities and these schools, it affects the public sector, and measures should be taken in case of any event regarding this alleged virus. There are medical committees that do the work necessary for any person infected with regard to this virus, but stopping movement in the Gaza Strip and stopping education and strikes is incorrect and useless.

Second interview/ Citizen / Muhammad Al Qurm

Video time 04:09-04:33

This disease will become temporary, and by the command of God in the Gaza Strip, these diseases will not be seen due to the weather and weather .As these diseases will not enter the Gaza Strip, but this is a great burden on schools. Today, we in schools are supposed to have a normal time for everyone, and every school comes to doctors to guide all children.

Video time 04:33-04:56

This strike and everyone is committed at home and students are coming to an exam period. For us, we live at home and I am the owner of a store here. Today, the child, when he is out of school for a week or 10 days, I think important study days will be lost, especially since the final exams will be next month. This is a big problem for schools.