In a press conference Monday, the Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh announced a one-week lockdown of Palestinian cities Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem and Tulkarem for a period of seven days starting Thursday at 7pm.

All commercial and service shops will be closed, with the exception for pharmacies, bakeries, supermarkets and grocery stores.

He also announced that education within the governorates will take place through remote learning.

Additionally, movement between all governorates is prohibited during the lockdown, with the exception of agricultural transportation, services and food goods.

Governmental and private institutions are permitted to operate during lockdown with a maximum 30 percent capacity.

The current curfew will remain until the end of the total lockdown on Dec. 17.

Weddings, funerals, and all forms of crowd will be prohibited in all regions.

The Palestinian government also approved the activation of emergency committees in all governorates and the introduction of violation fees for individuals or establishments who do not adhere to the precautionary governmental measures.

Shtayyeh added that private hospitals in all governorates have allocated spaces for COVID-19 patients, especially in Nablus, and it is prohibited for them to refuse any case transferred by the Ministry of Health, which is punishable by law.