Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Israel and Hamas have come under renewed pressure to agree to a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as international diplomats met in Riyadh to discuss solutions to the crisis.
Indirect negotiations to secure a truce and hostage deal after more than six months of war in the enclave have entered a "decisive" phase, according to sources familiar with the talks in Cairo.
The Hamas delegation led by Khalil Al Haya and senior officials from Israel's intelligence services are meeting Egyptian and US officials to discuss a potential new deal.
The latest proposals seem to align more with Hamas's position than previous negotiations, say the sources, with Israel reportedly re-entering discussions over demands it previously rejected.
“Everything is back on the table now. These are decisive talks,” a Palestinian political source said.
The length of the ceasefire has been a central sticking point in talks to end Israel's offensive in Gaza, which has killed 34,400 Palestinians since Hamas killed around 1,200 in its attack on southern Israel. Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire, while Israel prefers a temporary ceasefire aimed primarily at facilitating the release of the hostages before it returns to its objective of attempting to destroy Hamas.
The new deal envisages an initial limited truce with a staged hostage swap as in previous deals, but Israel has also reportedly agreed to a "second phase" of the truce that includes a "period of sustained calm" of up to a year.
World leaders and diplomats urged both sides to accept the deal as Gaza topped the agenda at the World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told the meeting that "the proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides."
"I hope that all will rise to the occasion," he said.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan welcomed the progress but said that “any ceasefire deal must be a permanent ceasefire,” and described the long-term solution as a "credible, irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state."
WEF President Børge Brende said Gaza is now the current global priority as it "has the potential of escalating conflicts so much in the region”.
“There is much more pressure now for a political path and the future two-state solution than I have seen I would say maybe in decades,” he told The National.
Speaking at the closing session, the UK's Lord Cameron told participants all pressure should be exerted on Hamas to accept the deal, which he described as a "pretty generous offer".
“I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly all the pressure in the world and all the eyes of the world should be on them today, saying ‘take that deal’. It will bring about this stop in the fighting that we all want to see so badly.”
He also said that “Hamas's leadership must leave Gaza ... you have to see a political future for the Palestinian people and security for Israel”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also attended the meeting in Riyadh, where he discussed Gaza as well as the potential normalisation of Saudi-Israeli ties with Prince Faisal.
Mr Blinken portrayed the latest proposal as "extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel" and urged Hamas to "decide quickly".
The US has also been pressuring Israel to accept a deal.
Hours before the delegations arrived in Cairo, US President Joe Biden spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to review the “ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza”, the White House said in a statement.
Alongside pushing for a ceasefire, the US has repeatedly warned the Israeli government against launching a much-feared invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, where more than one million Palestinians are sheltering.
Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly said Israel will attack Rafah as part of his vow to destroy Hamas.
Speaking from Riyadh, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi said Mr Netanyahu "doesn't want peace" and Israel hasn't acted as a "partner" to the Arab world.
“We, as Arabs, know what we want and what we can do ... but we do not have a partner [in Israel]," he said.
“What’s missing is what Israel needs to do and what the international community needs to do."
Failure to reach a deal could see Hamas relocate its leadership-in-exile from Qatar, where the talks are expected to move after two days in Cairo.
Sources told The National that Qatari mediators had made thinly veiled warnings to the Hamas leaders based in Doha that they would be asked to leave if they did not show flexibility during the Gaza truce negotiations.
Musa Abu Marzouk, a member of the Hamas politburo, told Iran's Al Alam TV that the talks about the group being forced to leave Doha are “false”. However, he added that if they had to leave, they would aim to relocate to Jordan.
“If the leadership of Hamas relocates, and this is not a topic now, they will move to Jordan,” he said.
The Hamas official also said that a delegation from the group is heading to China in the coming days for direct discussions with Fatah, which controls the Palestinian National Authority in the occupied West Bank, about the future of the Palestinian cause.
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THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
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 four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Episode list:
Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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