"Food stores in Israel will stay open. There is no need to storm them. The state system is preparing for all kinds of scenarios, but supermarkets will be kept open in any situation", it said in a press release.
Israeli media published photos of people lining in front of those few stores that remained open on the weekend.
Israelis have reportedly been stocking up on food and other necessities in light of the spreading COVID-19 disease, which has evolved into a pandemic. Israel has 164 infection cases, with two patients in a critical condition.
14 March 2020, 08:08 GMT
Amid the pandemic, Israel introduced a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all international arrivals and limited the entry to tourists with pre-arranged accommodation where they can implement the quarantine. Additionally, all public gatherings of more than 100 people, including religious events, have been suspended and schools closed.
The number of Israelis who have contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has reached 127 amid the nations struggling to contain the spread, Israel's Health Ministry said on 13 March.
The World Health Organization on 11 March declared a pandemic in light of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus.
