Israel imposes nationwide curfew as virus cases spike

JERUSALEM • The Israeli authorities have announced a nationwide night-time curfew starting today. It is aimed at curbing a steep increase in coronavirus cases over recent weeks.

The Jewish state's so-called coronavirus Cabinet - a group of ministers headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - decided "a night curfew will be imposed" from today, a statement from the prime minister's office said.

"During the night curfew, commerce will be prohibited and limitations on travel between different areas will be applied," the statement said. However, more shopping centres and markets will be opened, with health regulations in place, and museums and cultural centres will be permitted to function at limited capacity.

A health ministry spokesman said the details of the curfew were being hammered out by the government before the measures went into effect.

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is tomorrow, and the curfew is expected to hamper customary nocturnal family gatherings.

The Israeli authorities imposed a nationwide lockdown in September - its second since the start of the coronavirus pandemic - when the country had one of the world's highest Covid-19 infection rates per capita.

Although restrictions have since been gradually eased, the number of infections has been rising steadily since the start of November and crossed the threshold of over a thousand positive tests daily in the last week.

Israel has reported more than 346,490 Covid-19 cases and over 2,900 deaths.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE