Israel Approves Coronavirus Vaccine Shipment to Gaza

(Bloomberg) -- Israel has approved the shipment of Russian-made Sputnik coronavirus vaccine to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, a unit of the Defense Ministry said.

The family of Hadar Goldin, one of two soldiers whose bodies have been held in Gaza since Israel’s 2014 war there, had petitioned the High Court of Justice to condition the entry of vaccine on the release of the remains and live Israeli hostages.

While Israel exited Gaza in 2005, it still controls access to the enclave, together with Egypt. The vaccine is being shipped to Israel from the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.

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