Israeli aircraft struck Gaza while Palestinians fired rockets at Israel on Saturday after an Israeli operation against the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip ended more than a year of calm along the border.
The Israeli strikes have killed 24 people - including six children - and left more than 200 injured, authorities in Gaza say.
On Saturday, Israel said it struck Islamic Jihad militants preparing to launch rockets. Additional bombings aimed at three houses, witnesses said, flattening at least one as the sounds of more explosions rocked Gaza City.
Palestinian news agency Wafa said air strikes destroyed two buildings on Saturday — one in Gaza City and another to the west — leaving more than 100 people homeless. Warnings were given to the residents shortly before both attacks, it said.
Targets in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip were also hit, Wafa said.
But Israel said it has "irrefutable" evidence that stray rocket from Islamic Jihad militants was responsible for the death of multiple children in Jabalia, northern Gaza, on Saturday.
The Israeli army said it was prepared for a “week of fighting” against Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.
The military said it apprehended 19 Islamic Jihad militants in overnight raids in the occupied West Bank and it was aiming at the group's rocket manufacturing sites and launchers in Gaza.
Defence Minister Benny Gantz said the military was conducting operations to remove Islamic Jihad's threat and "restore peace and stability in Israel's south".
Palestinian militants fired at least 160 rockets across the Gaza border on Saturday, setting off air raid sirens and sending people running to bomb shelters as far away as the central Israeli city of Modiin, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Islamic Jihad said it had aimed at Israel's main international gateway, Ben Gurion Airport, but the rocket fell short near Modiin, about 20 kilometres away. Israel's Civil Aviation Authority said the airport was operating as usual with flight routes adjusted.
Air raid sirens also sounded in the southern city of Sderot and several other towns near the border with the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported.
Most of the missiles were intercepted and there were no reports of serious casualties, according to the Israeli ambulance service.
The UN humanitarian chief for the occupied Palestinian territories, Lynn Hastings, urged the warring sides to allow "fuel, food, and medical supplies" to be delivered to Gaza amid the worsening crisis.
Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Cairo was "conducting contacts" with the aim of containing the situation in Gaza, bringing calm and protecting lives and property.
UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said he was "deeply concerned" and gave a warning that the escalation was "very dangerous".
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Americans "certainly urge all sides to avoid further escalation" while supporting their ally Israel's right to defend itself.
Egypt has mediated in previous flare-ups in fighting between Gaza militants and Israel, including the 11-day war in May last year.
Israel's continuing assault is the most sustained since that conflict, which claimed 250 lives in Gaza and 13 in Israel.
The Israeli military routinely conducts strikes in response to occasional rocket fire from Gaza, particularly incidents involving groups its says are affiliated to the Hamas militant organisation that controls the Palestinian territory.
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Gulf Under 19s
Pools
A – Dubai College, Deira International School, Al Ain Amblers, Warriors
B – Dubai English Speaking College, Repton Royals, Jumeirah College, Gems World Academy
C – British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Yasmina Academy
D – Dubai Exiles, Jumeirah English Speaking School, English College, Bahrain Colts
Recent winners
2018 – Dubai College
2017 – British School Al Khubairat
2016 – Dubai English Speaking School
2015 – Al Ain Amblers
2014 – Dubai College
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
