Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that a new, more contagious strain of coronavirus is overwhelming the healthcare system and called to tighten lockdown measures.
"If we do not act immediately, we will lose many hundreds of Israeli lives," Netanyahu said at the beginning of the Cabinet meeting to discuss new measures.
"The British mutation is out of control. The hospitals are already warning that we are entering a dangerous stage. I call on all Israeli citizens - let's make one last effort. General lockdown in combination with the vaccination campaign. That's how we'll come back to life."