Israel imposes full closure on Gaza, West Bank for three days

Palestine

Published: 2018-04-15 17:11

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 22:13


Israel to impose three-day closure in West Bank and Gaza. (UPI)
Israel to impose three-day closure in West Bank and Gaza. (UPI)

The Israeli authorities announced on Sunday a full closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip for three days due to the observance of Israeli Independence Day which is preceded by Remembrance Day, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The border crossings with Gaza will be closed starting Monday midnight, April 16, 2018 until Thursday, April 19, 2018.

While no crossings will be allowed into the West Bank and Gaza, humanitarian, medical and exceptional cases will be allowed to pass through with the approval of the IDF’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the territories (COGAT).

According to the Hebrew calendar this year, Remembrance Day, which commemorates the millions of Jews killed in the Holocaust and Independence day, which was first observed on May 14, 1948, are set to be on 18 and 19 of April.

For Palestinians, Israeli Independence day is not a cause for celebration but a day of remembrance of the national “catastrophe” or Nakba Day, that is commamorated annually on May 15, in which thousands of Palestinians were forced to leave their villages and homes.

This is not the first time the occupied Palestinian territories are closed off during Jewish holidays. Just last February, Israeli authorities announced a four day closure on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip due to the Jewish Purim holiday.