Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
For 12 years, a Kuwaiti man with a PhD in computer networks has found himself a humanitarian volunteer. Mohammad Al Kandari visited disasters in Somalia, Niger and Tanzania, and was in Turkey in the aftermath of last year's earthquake.
Today he is a well-known figure in the region and a two-time visitor to Gaza, where he revealed to his 1.2 million Instagram followers the death, destruction and desperation of the war-torn enclave.
It is the power of social media, Mr Al Kandari believes, that has changed views towards Israel around the world, and led to a better understanding of the Palestinian cause, especially among younger generations.
“People under 25 had almost forgotten what Palestine is, because they didn’t experience anything during that time but what happened changed the world,” he told The National.
“Today, when people who have seen photos and videos and participated in protests and marches have children – they will pass on new principles to them. They will tell them what Israel did. History cannot erase what social media documented. What is shown on TV is forgotten but what's on social media is stored.”
Other influencers, including Jordanian comedian Deya El Ayyan, who has 2.1 million followers on Instagram, or Omani doctor Khalid Al Shammousi who has 70,000 followers on X, are among prominent Arabs who have gone to Gaza to highlight the crisis.
Mr Al Kandari's most recent visit was last month, when he went with the Kuwait Society for Relief and US-based NGO Rahma Worldwide. In recent months, hundreds of thousands of people in the West have taken to the streets in protest against Israel's violence.
“The world looks at Israel differently than what they saw a year ago – now they see the government as criminals,” Mr Al Kandari said.
“It took 30,000 people to be killed for that to happen – and that is the price. But it changed the world.”
For Mr Al Kandari, going to Gaza was a necessary move. He felt it important to show the world the enclave through his eyes, especially his own people.
“I couldn’t stay quiet. I tried to do what I can because I know that being in Gaza I’ll broadcast something to my people, that coming from me, a Kuwaiti, will seem closer to the Kuwaitis and people in the Gulf. It has legitimacy to them,” he said.
Mr Al Kandari said $15 million was raised during the Kuwaiti delegation's first visit to fund humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
His visits, however, have left marks – moments he can never forget for better or for worse. Living amid shelling, even for two weeks, left Mr Al Kandari with memories that haunt him.
“So many moments were unforgettable,” he said. “There would be strikes 200 metres away from where we would be staying. Just this morning in London I heard a plane overhead and it brought back memories of air strikes. It was frightening.”
People's resolve to stay on their land took Mr Al Kandari aback, he recalls. Speaking to Gazans in Egypt, who had left for medical treatment, Mr Al Kandari said many wanted to return. On his second visit, Mr Al Kandari says he met people who had gone back from abroad.
“They said they would rather be in Gaza's hell than in the heavens of the world,” he said.
During his conversations with Gazans, Mr Al Kandari recalls their sense of pride and generosity. He remembers times when visiting displaced people in their tents, they would insist on him having a cup of coffee, even if they did not have anything else to offer.
“In other places I went to, people in poverty and need would extend a hand,” he said. “In Gaza, people rarely ask for anything and if they do, they just ask once and they do so with shame.”
More than the aid that the Kuwaiti delegation brought in the form of tents, food and medical equipment, Mr Al Kandari said Gazans were happier to just be around people who crossed the border to see them.
“They were more welcoming to us – and how we were there to support them psychologically rather than the material things we brought in,” he said.
The stories he heard were also harrowing. Mr Al Kandari said the saddest images he saw were the ones of children who had lost everything, or parents who lost children.
“It is not the ones who are dead we should be sad about – because those are martyrs, may God have mercy on them,” he said. “But the ones who remain alive, the ones who have lost everything.
“It will take decades to treat this trauma.”
Mr Al Kandari hopes that the world becomes more aware of the situation in Palestine and Gaza. He says that the international community needs to do more to help Palestine.
“If they were doing enough, we wouldn't be in this situation,” he said.
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
MATCH INFO
What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
Results
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Malin Cilic (CRO) v Benoit Paire (FRA) [8]
Not before 4pm:
Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]
Not before 7pm:
Pablo Carreno Busta (SPA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [2]
Roberto Bautista Agut (SPA) [5] v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
Court One
Starting at 2pm
Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) v Dennis Novak (AUT)
Joao Sousa (POR) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
Not before 5pm:
Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) [1] v Marin Cilic v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Nikoloz Basilashvili v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Emblem Storm, Oisin Murphy (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Wildman Jack, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Matterhorn, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Loxley, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
