Palestinian women at the site of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Palestinian women at the site of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Palestinian women at the site of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Palestinian women at the site of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

'War will return': Gazans welcome pause in fighting, but say it is not enough


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Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

Gazans welcomed the four-day pause in fighting agreed by Israel and Hamas but said, "it is not enough", with some fearful that Israel will break the truce to continue its war in Gaza.

The temporary truce is expected to allow the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave. It will begin on Thursday at 10am local time, according to Hamas.

"This may be the best possible scenario for now, but it is not enough. War will return and death will return," Mohammed Jamal, 60, a resident of Gaza city, told The National.

"The war will rage, there is no escape from that, and we will be the ones who will pay the price," Mr Jamal said.

Suha Ali, 32, also from Gaza city, told The National that residents of the enclave were hoping for a long-term ceasefire that would enable people to return to normality.

"It's been a long time we've been at war, we are exhausted, we want to go back to our homes, what has happened to us is unimaginable," she said.

"We are hoping that the truce will lead to a proper ceasefire but for now it is good news that we are able to go back to our homes and get our personal belongings," Ms Ali said.

Reema Mahmood believes that the four-day pause does not reflect political agreement, and said residents are worried about Israel breaking the agreement.

"We are worried that Israel will break the truce. We have been in this scenario before and at any moment, the occupation would turn back its decision," she said.

"I have been displaced since the first day of the war, I miss my house, my family, I will go back at the first point," Ms Mahmood said.

Hamza Shaalan, who is a displaced Gazan and currently has nowhere to go, said the truce will not be enough to meet the needs of Gazans.

"The truce is for us to take a moment to breathe, it's not a 100 per cent humanitarian [deal], we need more," he said.

Once the pause is implemented, Mr Shaalan will search for his family in the north and find a tent to sleep in.

Red Cross ready to implement exchange

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Wednesday it is ready to support the implementation of a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.

"We, at the ICRC, are ready to support the implementation of any agreement that brings much-needed relief to the victims of this conflict,” Jessica Moussan, ICRC’s spokeswoman in the Middle East, told The National.

It comes as Israel's air strikes continued on the Gaza Strip before the truce is implemented.

Hamas claimed that under the conditions of the truce, Israel will halt all air activity over southern Gaza during the entire four days. In the north, it will pause air activity between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Israel did not include details of its air activity in its announcement of the truce.

During these hours, Palestinians will be able to move freely on Gaza's Salah Al Din road, which has been used for evacuations from the north.

“Currently, we are actively engaged in talks with the parties to help carry out any humanitarian agreement they reach,” Ms Moussan said.

The agreement is the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7 killing about 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostage.

The attack ignited a war that has turned vast areas of Gaza into rubble, killing more than 14,000 people and raising fears of a wider conflict across the region.

A Palestinian boy with a drawing unearthed from the rubble of a building at the site of an Israeli bombardment on Rafah, in southern Gaza. AFP
A Palestinian boy with a drawing unearthed from the rubble of a building at the site of an Israeli bombardment on Rafah, in southern Gaza. AFP

The ICRC regularly facilitates prisoner exchanges as a neutral intermediary in conflicts around the world.

“As a neutral intermediary, it is important to clarify that we are not part of the negotiations, and we do not make decisions on the substance of it,” she said. “Our role is to facilitate the implementation, once the parties agree.”

Qatar, which has played a vital role in the negotiations between the two sides, said early on Wednesday the timing of the pause will be announced within the next 24 hours.

“The number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement," Doha's Foreign Ministry said.

The development comes as the Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported on Wednesday that the Indonesian Hospital has received evacuation warnings from the Israeli army, which accuses it of hosting "militant activity".

A hospital administrator said that a message was sent from an official in the Israeli army claiming Israel has "information about [military activity] inside the hospital, and the army is requesting an immediate halt to all military actions”.

The Israeli message contained the following warning: "If military activity does not stop within four hours, then the army reserves the right to engage in activity against military operations in accordance with international laws.”

The Indonesian Hospital is in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip.

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp at the Indonesian Hospital. Reuters
Palestinians search for casualties at the site of Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp at the Indonesian Hospital. Reuters
MATCH DETAILS

Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)

Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)

FIRST TEST SCORES

England 458
South Africa 361 & 119 (36.4 overs)

England won by 211 runs and lead series 1-0

Player of the match: Moeen Ali (England)

 

The biog

Name: Younis Al Balooshi

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn

Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key developments

All times UTC 4

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile

Started: 2016

Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel 

Based: Ramallah, Palestine

Sector: Technology, Security

# of staff: 13

Investment: $745,000

Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20750hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20800Nm%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%207%20Speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20332kph%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012.2L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYear%20end%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C430%2C000%20(coupe)%3B%20From%20Dh1%2C566%2C000%20(Spider)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

The Beach Bum

Director: Harmony Korine

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg

Two stars

Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books

Tips for entertaining with ease

·         Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.

·         As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.

·         Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.

·         Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.

·         The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.

·         You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.

 

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

About Takalam

Date started: early 2020

Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech and wellness

Number of staff: 4

Funding to date: Bootstrapped

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
'Midnights'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Taylor%20Swift%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Republic%20Records%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SHADOWS%20AND%20LIGHT%3A%20THE%20EXTRAORDINARY%20LIFE%20OF%20JAMES%20MCBEY
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
  • Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000 
  • HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000 
  • Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000 
  • Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000 
  • Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000 
  • Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000 
  • Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
  • Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
  • Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.

 

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

Final scores

18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)

- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)

-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)

-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)

-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)

-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Updated: November 22, 2023, 2:42 PM