Latest News Briefs (Page 2)

Hamas may offer information on Israelis held in Gaza if Israel frees convicted terrorists, report says.

Israeli group keeps at-risk teens out of trouble through feeding the hungry. 'Thanks to SAHI, teens completely changed their lives around.'

According to the Al-Quds newspaper, Hamas will examine the possibility of providing clear information to Israel on the fate of IDF soldiers Oron Saul and Hadar Goldin and on the health of Abraham Mengistu and Hisham a-Sayyid in exchange for the release of security prisoners.

Matzav reports that the Israeli Finance Ministry has turned down El Al's request for a $350 million loan to help it weather the coronavirus crisis. El Al announced that it will appeal the decision with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Apparently, the Finance Ministry does not believe that El Al will be able to repay the loan.

El Al has sent 5,500 of its staff on unpaid leave - more than 85% of its workforce - in recent weeks.

It has also been offering much assistance to the government in the form of rescuing citizens stranded from locations across the world, and delivering shipments of vital medical supplies.

A 69-year-old resident of Kiryat Shemona has been admitted to Ziv Medical Center in Tzfat suffering from coronavirus - her condition has been categorized as serious. She is now in an induced coma and on a ventilator.

There are currently six patients in the special coronavirus ward at Ziv Medical Center: two in mild condition, two in moderate condition, and two in serious condition.

Elderly woman dies of coronavirus at Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

ZAKA has announced a new campaign, to be run in 15 haredi towns across the country, called "Kaddish or Kadesh."

The campaign is designed to dissuade families from holding a large extended-family celebration of the Seder, and is a play on words: "Kadesh" is the first instruction on Seder night; "Kaddish" is the prayer recited by mourners.

A new poll reveals that 65% of the population is satisfied with the performance of Naftali Bennett as Defense Minister, in particular with his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Justice Minister Amir Ohana has published a memorandum of law for public comment on postponing the payment of fines, seeking 60 days to postpone the payment of fines, and court costs to the state and local authorities.

Minister Ohana is advancing the move, in coordination with the law enforcement and collection agencies, the Treasury and the Interior Ministry, with a view to alleviating the burden on a large number of Israeli households and businesses that are having difficulty paying their debts due to the financial uncertainty they face due to the coronavirus crisis.

Dr. Ashi Shalmon urges Israelis to follow lockdown orders, says Israel is seeing reduction in rate of coronavirus infections.

At least 51 South Koreans who had contracted coronavirus and made a full recovery have tested positive a second time after leaving quarantine, according to officials.

It is believed that the virus reactivated in these patients, and that they were not reinfected.

Yesterday, a rabbi in the English town of Gateshead passed away from coronavirus after the virus made a virulent comeback, following his apparent recovery a few weeks ago.

A 90-year-old woman has passed away from the coronavirus. She was hospitalized in Shaarei Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem.

She was admitted there a week ago, after contracting the virus. She had several underlying conditions.

There are currently 99 coronavirus patients in Shaarei Zedek, with 10 of them on ventilators.

Rabbanit Tzipora Batzri, wife of mekubal Harav David Shalom Batzri, rosh yeshivat Hashalom, has passed away at Shaarei Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem.

Professor Anthony Gordon, a critical care consultant in a top London hospital, has said it could be "months" before the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will be able to resume his job at full capacity.

"It can take many weeks to get back to normal full health, or even months," he warned.

Johnson is currently in intensive care but not on a ventilator; his condition is said to be stable. Meanwhile, there is public concern at the government's decision-making process in his absence.

Any soldier wishing to sell his or her hametz via the IDF Rabbinate had the opportunity to do so via sending in a completed form to the Rabbinate office.

Kosher phones are used primarily by haredim. They have no internet connectivity nor do they have cameras or text message capability.

An airplane carrying a huge shipment of respiratory equipment for Yad Sarah has just landed in Israel.

The shipment includes around 5,000 oxygen generators, 1,000 canisters of oxygen, 220 ventilators, and 7,200 critical care beds.

Moshe Cohen, Yad Sarah's director, said, "With the conclusion of this campaign to bring a huge amount of medical equipment, thanks to the generosity of Israeli citizens who contributed, we have been able to purchase equipment that will help thousands of Israelis to get through the coronavirus crisis."

New poll shows Israelis of all sectors approve of how Defense Min. Bennett is handling coronavirus crisis.

A senior Health Ministry official has said: "I don't think anyone expects that we'll get back to normal immediately after Pesach."

Border Police have arrested two people suspected of operating drug production labs in Tel Aviv and seized dozens of cannabis seedlings as well as around 15 kilograms of a substance they suspect is an illicit drug.

Statement from the Likud party:

From the first moment, it was agreed that the unity government would be established on the basis of two clear principles: joint decision-making on all issues, and promoting sovereignty [in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley].

Unfortunately, at the last moment, it is Blue & White that it retreating from these agreements, which are a necessary basis for any balanced government.

Once Blue & White returns to these original agreements, the agreement can be finalized and a unity government can be formed.

False Blue & White media spins do not bring unity closer but rather make it less likely to occur.

Health Minister of Tunisia warns citizens to stay in isolation where necessary.

CEO of Arkia, Avi Homero: "If we don't merge the three Israeli airlines, none of us will survive this."

The three are Arkia, El Al, and Israir.

Hillel Yaffe medical center reports that it is currently treating 25 coronavirus patients, two of whom are in serious condition - the others are mild cases.

Spain has reported 6,180 new cases of coronavirus and 757 new deaths, raising its national total to 146,690 cases and 14,555 dead.

Family loses control over fire in traditional pre-Passover ceremony, is evacuated to hospitals.

The Ministry of Health has announced that the water at Kibbutz Netzer Sirani must be boiled for drinking and cooking, as well as toothbrushing, until a further announcement is made.

Water can be used without boiling for bathing and other sanitation purposes.

MK Tzvi Hauser says he still hopes that a unity government will be formed in the coming days.

"From the moment I embarked on a campaign as a public figure, over a year ago, I raised the flag of national reconciliation and have not abandoned it. I hope that we will be able to bring unity to the people of Israel as part of a national reconciliation campaign that Israeli society so desperately needs. Unity and reconciliation will allow us to deal with the challenges of the present and to fulfill the dreams and historical opportunities in the near and distant future," he said.

Police in uniform and plain clothes as well as Border Police are operating in Jerusalem on the main streets and within the neighborhoods.

Director of Hadassah hospital Professor Ze'ev Rothstein has reported to the prime minister on the establishment of a special production line to make tests to detect antibodies against coronavirus, and the effort to produce the antibodies themselves. He also noted that for the first time, plasma is being collected from those who have recovered from the virus, and it is hoped that its use will enable others to recover too.

Hadassah hospital noted that the first two Israelis to contract coronavirus (on the Diamond Princess cruise ship) who returned to Israel two months ago are today considered immune to the virus.

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed: Lockdown is an opportunity to take stock of our lives and realize how much we are enslaved to many of the aspects of modern life that we have taken for granted.

In the coronavirus wards of Maayanei Hayeshua hospital in Bnei Brak, there are currently 53 patients.

13 are in serious condition of whom eleven are on ventilators. 13 are in moderate condition and the others are mild cases.

Professor Mordechai Ravid, the medical director, said: "Maayanei Hayeshua medical center has 1.9% of hospital beds in the country. 11% of all those on ventilators in the country are hospitalized here."

According to Forbes magazine, President Donald Trump has sustained losses of at least $ 1 billion over the past month due to the closure of his business around the world.

Meanwhile, the inventor of Zoom has joined the world billionaires club.

A report in Channel 13 News relates that the Health Ministry has informed hospitals that there is currently a shortage of anesthetics and other items required for critical care. "Use what you have wisely, and do not conduct any non-urgent surgical procedure," hospitals were told.

A 23-year-old resident of the Bedouin town of Rahat who was involved in a neighborhood dispute has been arrested. When police arrived, they spotted the armed suspect running away and managed to catch him.

He is set to be indicted shortly.

Shimon Reinzilber, 97, Holocaust survivor who lost a son during military service, named as one of the latest victims of COVID-19.

Locked down at home, we focus on what's really important: family, health, caring for one another.