Coronavirus Israel Live: Netanyahu Announces Lockdown on Independence Day

14,326 Israelis have so far tested positive for the coronavirus; 187 people have died. In the West Bank, 314 cases have been diagnosed so far. Two have died. In Gaza, 17 cases have been diagnosed, eight of which have recovered.

■ On Monday, Israel's Health Ministry confirmed the daily number of recoveries had overtaken the number of infections over past three days, reversing the trend 

■ The Israeli government approved a series of steps to ease the lockdown restrictions, including allowing group prayer, partial reopening of the economy and certain stores, and fines for not wearing masks in public

■ Coronavirus tracker: Live statistics of cases and deaths in Israel and worldwide ■ Do's and don'ts: Israel's Ministry explains coronavirus restrictions

■ The government decided to relax curfew regulations on the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, a coronavirus hotspot, as well as a curfew on Jerusalem neighborhoods with a high infection rate; a curfew was imposed on the Arab town of Deir al-Asad in the Galilee

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– corona-stats

■ There will be no Ramadan prayers in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, the Waqf religious authorities announced, as some fear a spike in coronavirus cases could happen during Islam's holiest month

LIVE UPDATES

9:32 A.M. 14,326 Israelis have been diagnosed with virus, 187 have died

According to Health Ministry figues, 14,326 people have been diagnosed with the coroavirus in Israel, of which 111 on ventilators, and 148 are in serious condition. Meanwhile, 187 people have died of the virus and 4,961 Israelis have recovered.

TUESDAY

10:00 P.M. Interior Minister to allow business owners exemption from paying property tax for three months

Israel's Interior Minister Aryeh Deri announced monday that he signed regulations that would allow local authorities to grant businesses three months' exemption from paying property taxes. However, local authorities will be able to choose an alternative route of providing a total discount of 25% on the municipal tax payment for 2020. According to the announcement, a budget of 2.8 billion shekels ($ 788 million) will be allocated to compensate the local authorities for the loss of income. (Lee Yaron)

8:45 P.M. Israel's confirmed cases reach 13,942, death toll at 184

According to the Health Ministry, 13,942 Israelis have contracted the coronavirus. Of those, 4,507 have recovered, 139 in serious condition, and 113 are currently on ventilators.

7:50 P.M. Netanyahu announces closure on Independence Day