Israeli border police chief infected with coronavirus

Police chief participated in memorial service attended by senior state officials

By Zain Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli border police chief Yaakov Shabtai was infected with coronavirus on Saturday, two days after he participated in a ceremony attended by senior state officials.

In a statement, Israeli border police department said Shabtai's health is "good, and the police is underway to determine the contacts," according to the official KAN channel.

According to the channel, Shabtai participated on Thursday in a memorial service for the dead Israeli soldiers in the Operation of Protective Edge at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem.

Protective Edge is the Israeli code-name for the military operation launched by Israel in the Gaza Strip on July 7, 2014, which resulted in the death of 2,322 Palestinians. Around 74 Israelis were also killed in the offensive.

The memorial service was attended by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Israeli defense ministry's Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi.

On Saturday, the total infections from coronavirus in Israel reached 28,055, as well as 326 fatalities.

* Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara

Kaynak: