The Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh announced on Monday, May 25, an end to the two-month-long lockdown on the Palestinian territories declared early March with the discovery of the first coronavirus case in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Speaking at a press conference in Ramallah, Shtayyeh said that with the control over the corona disease and the sharp decline in cases that currently stand at only 122 active ones, most of them in occupied East Jerusalem, and most recently in the Gaza Strip, a decision was made to allow the return to normal life, yet warning that if the number of cases increases, the lockdown will be re-imposed.

Courts, ministries, public institutions, shops, mosques, churches, public transportation, parks, nurseries, restaurants, coffee shops, events halls and educational institutions have returned to normal today.

"The easing in the measures and gradual return to normal life is being taken with caution," stressed the Prime Minister. "If we see new corona cases developing, we will reinstate all previous measures," he warned.

Answering a question about the Palestinian decision to end all agreements with the Israeli occupation and how would that affect people in the occupied territories since everyday life is connected to Israel, Shtayyeh said that being absolved from the agreements as declared by President Mahmoud Abbas last week does not mean not caring for the millions of Palestinian citizens living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

He said that any interaction with Gaza, for example, such as sending medicine, will be done through the United Nations agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), international organizations and the Red Cross.

Similarly, certain things that are done by Israel, such as monetary activities, banking, and issuing passports or ID cards for Palestinians, will also be taken care of through international organizations.