Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Israel's military on Wednesday provided what it described as evidence that a misfired Palestinian rocket, rather than one of its own munitions, caused the explosion at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza on Tuesday night in which hundreds of people died.
Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls Gaza, has blamed the blast on Israel. Israel claims it was a result of a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group in the enclave.
In an English-language briefing televised shortly before US President Joe Biden landed in Israel for a solidarity visit, chief military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said an investigation had "confirmed that there was no [Israeli] fire from the land, sea or air that hit the hospital”.
“Our radars tracked rockets fired from within Gaza at the time of the explosion. The trajectory analysis from the barrage of rockets confirms that the barrage of rockets was fired from close to the hospital,” Adm Hagari said on Wednesday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday he was "horrified by the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in a strike on a hospital in Gaza today, which I strongly condemn." France's President Emmanuel Macron said on X, formerly Twitter, that "nothing can justify striking a hospital. Nothing can justify targeting civilians," and that a thorough investigation should be launched.
US President Joe Biden, arriving in Israel on Wednesday, said he believed the air strike "appears as though it was done by the other team."
Asked to explain the size of the explosion at the site, the Israeli army spokesman said it was consistent with unspent rocket fuel catching fire. "Most of this damage would have been done due to the propellant, not just the warhead," he said.
The Israeli army is under extreme scrutiny over its denials that it was responsible for hitting the hospital in Gaza in what is being labelled as the deadliest single Israeli strike on Gaza since the war began on October 7.
Reporters pressed Adm Hagari on previous Israeli army claims that were later retracted after further inquiries. The case of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was also raised.
Abu Akleh, 51, died after being shot in the head on May 11, 2022. She was wearing a bulletproof jacket with the word "Press" written across it. Israel initially denied responsibility and blamed Palestinian gunmen operating in the area, only to later concede there was a “high possibility” one of its soldiers accidentally shot the Al Jazeera journalist while she was covering a military operation near Jenin.
“We have to be credible. You mentioned Shireen Abu Akleh … we have to be credible. We learnt our lesson. This is not Jabalia, this is a hospital. We had to check and double check,” Adm Hagari said.
To add more evidence, the Israeli army on Tuesday also published what it alleged was an audio recording of a conversation, with English captions, between militants speaking about rockets misfiring.
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich
March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom
Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
Ahmed Raza
UAE cricket captain
Age: 31
Born: Sharjah
Role: Left-arm spinner
One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95
T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
