The Israeli government says it will impose a nationwide lockdown later this week due to a resurgence of coronavirus infections.
The government says the lockdown will be in place for three weeks starting Friday.
In principle, people will have to stay within 500 meters of their homes. Schools and shopping malls will be closed, while supermarkets will remain open.
Israel had imposed strict lockdown measures for nearly two months from mid-March, which reduced the number of daily infections to below 10.
But the virus has started spreading again following the resumption of economic activities and the reopening of schools.
The country, with a population of some 9 million, registered more than 4,000 daily new cases last week. It has so far confirmed more than 150,000 infections.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to reporters on Sunday before leaving for the United States to attend a signing ceremony to normalize diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
He said that the lockdown will exact a heavy price on everyone in the country.
Large-scale demonstrations have been held every weekend to protest Netanyahu's measures to curb infections. Social anxiety is growing as the country's unemployment rate has exceeded 20 percent.
NHK
