Israel ordered thousands of people into quarantine after a contentious phone surveillance programme resumed while Palestinians in the West Bank returned to life under lockdown amid a surge in coronavirus cases in both areas, according to AP.

A statement Sunday from Israel's Health Ministry said many messages had been sent to Israelis following the renewed involvement of the Shin Bet domestic security agency. The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that more than 30,000 people were notified they must enter quarantine since Thursday.

After imposing strict measures early on during a first wave of infections, Israel and the Palestinian territories appeared to have contained their outbreaks, with each reporting only a few dozen new cases a day in May. But an easing of restrictions led to a steady uptick in cases over the past month.

"We are at the height of a new corona offensive. This is a very strong outbreak that is growing and spreading in the world and also here," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a meeting of his Cabinet on Sunday.