Merkel claimed to reject Israel's medical supply demand

JERUSALEM

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is claimed to have rejected Israeli President Binyamin Netanyahu's demand for medical respirators, amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

In a recent phone call between Netanyahu and Merkel, Israel has demanded medical respirators from Germany in the fight with coronavirus, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth's story.

The news claimed that Merkel rejected the demand, but did not give further details.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu spoke on phone with Merkel, according to Israeli Presidency Office's written statement. No further details were provided about the phone call.

Yossi Cohen, head of Israel's intelligence service MOSSAD, and Meir Ben-Shabbat, head of National Security Council, have formed a mutual team to provide necessary medical equipment from abroad, Israel's public press organization KAN reported on March 25.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Israel has reached 3,460 after 425 more people were diagnosed with COVID-19, and the total death toll is 12, a statement by the country's health ministry said on Saturday.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 177 countries and territories, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The data shows over 618,000 cases have been reported worldwide since last December, with the death toll above 28,600 and over 135,700 recoveries.

*Writing by Firdevs Bulut