Israel will allow 120 to 130 lorries a day to enter Gaza in “the next week or two” but humanitarian assistance to the besieged enclave “should not be taken for granted”, said the official in charge of co-ordinating aid on Wednesday.
Gaza is facing a humanitarian crisis with supplies of fuel, medicine, food and water running low as Israel continues its intense bombardment and ground incursion of the enclave in retaliation for the Hamas attack of October 7.
Israel did not let any aid into Gaza for the first two weeks of the war, but has since allowed a small but growing number of lorries to enter via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
“In the next week or two we hope to enlarge the number [of lorries] to at least 120 to 130 trucks a day,” Col Moshe Tetro told The National.
He said 76 were permitted to enter on Wednesday.
Col Tetro stressed that diplomatic ties with Arab partners have been key to the entry of aid so far as part of a “very complex logistical, security and diplomatic process”.
“We have built a mechanism with the Egyptians, the Americans and the UN,” he added.
“We have agreed on specifics that are actual humanitarian aid like medical supplies, food and water.”
Israel has faced intense criticism since the war began for not permitting more aid to enter Gaza, despite numerous UN warnings about critical shortages.
Col Tetro said the delays are caused by Israeli security checks on the goods.
He also downplayed warnings about critical shortages of medical supplies.
“From the details I have, there are two weeks’ worth of hospital supplies in Gaza, as relates to injuries of war,” he said.
Col Tetro also said UN warnings about shortages are based on flawed information.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned last week that it would run out of fuel in 24 hours.
“The handful of convoys being allowed through Rafah is nothing compared to the needs of over two million people trapped in Gaza,” UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told the UN Security Council this week.
Col Tetro refuted the UN's warning. “My team is in continuous discussion with Palestinian officials, including hospital managers, and we know for a fact that there is more fuel in Gaza than the UN says,” he said.
“I’m sure that what the UN is saying is based on what they know from the details they have.
“They don’t have the resources we have. They don’t have the ability to reach every hospital like we do. It’s not that they’re lying, they’re saying the truth as much as they see it.
“Of course it’s not easy, of course you need to manage it as always is the case in days of war. I’m not saying there are no worries.
“I’m not saying I have the 100 per cent truth, but I can say with a lot of confidence that my picture of what is happening inside Gaza is much more accurate than [the UN's].”
Israel says it has placed particularly stringent limitations on fuel because Hamas stockpiles it for military activity.
“We know for a fact that the same fuel to generate energy for hospitals goes to underground tunnels, where Hamas commanders area hiding and operating,” Col Tetro said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Thursday that more than 9,000 Gazans have been killed so far in the fighting. The war began after Hamas militants assaulted Israel’s south on October 7, killing around 1,400 Israelis and kidnapping at least 242 civilians.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Company%20Profile
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Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
Inside%20Out%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKelsey%20Mann%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Amy%20Poehler%2C%20Maya%20Hawke%2C%20Ayo%20Edebiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
Meydan race card
6pm Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
6.35Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
1,800m
7.10pm Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m ,400m
7.45pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
8.20pm Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
8.55pm Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
2 Liverpool 25 17 6 2 64 20 57
3 Chelsea 25 14 8 3 49 18 50
4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
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5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
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6 Arsenal 23 13 3 7 36 26 42
7 Wolves 24 12 4 8 23 18 40
8 Tottenham 23 12 4 8 31 31 39
