Obligations of an occupying power during pandemics

This legal factsheet outlines the obligations of an occupying power with respect to the health of the population of the occupied territory.

As of the 3rd of April 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 171 cases of COVID-19 in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), 159 of which in the West Bank and 12 in Gaza. The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge for the world. There are particular identified factors and vulnerabilities of the Palestinian population living in the oPt that are likely to exacerbate the impact of the disease.