Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Gaza ceasefire talks are set to continue this week, with CIA director William Burns expected to travel to Israel, Egypt and Qatar before negotiators and mediators meet for a new round of negotiations.
Talks are expected to start at the beginning of next month in Cairo, sources told The National.
They said that US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators were currently finalising a new set of proposals for Hamas and Israel representatives.
The new proposals, according to the sources, reflected a “measure of flexibility” shown by Israel as its government grapples with growing isolation on the international stage and domestic pressure by families and loved ones of hostages held by Hamas since October.
On the table is a 12-month ceasefire after an initial six-week truce in which Hamas will release about 20 of the estimated 130 hostages it is holding, along with an unspecified number of bodies of Israelis killed in captivity.
The proposals will also call for a full but phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza that’s conditional on Hamas releasing all the hostages it captured when militants attacked southern Israel on October 7.
Israel, according to the proposals, would free hundreds of Palestinians held in its prisons on security-related charges in exchange for the hostages.
The sources who spoke to The National on Sunday said Hamas would not travel to Cairo before studying the new proposals.
However, the sources warned that the latest timetable for talks and subsequent negotiations could change subject to unforeseen circumstances and that the new proposals are not guaranteed to achieve a breakthrough in the months-long negotiations.
The sources said another new proposal was for Israel to withdraw from the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt that its military captured on May 7.
Replacing the Israeli forces there, according to the proposals, would be officials from the occupied West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, the UN and a private security company.
The capture of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing by Israeli forces has deeply angered Egypt, damaging relations between the two Middle East neighbours, bound by a 1979 peace treaty.
Egypt responded by shutting down the crossing, halting the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and intervening in support of South Africa in its case before the International Court of Justice that accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
On Sunday, Egypt’s official media reported that about 200 lorries loaded with humanitarian supplies and fuel were headed to Karam Abu Salem, where they would be delivered to the UN to distribute in Gaza after Cairo agreed on Friday to a request by US President Joe Biden to temporarily send humanitarian aid and fuel to Gaza through the Israeli border crossing.
On Saturday, Reuters quoted an unnamed official as saying a decision had been taken to resume the Gaza ceasefire negotiations later this month after the chief of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, David Barea, met Mr Burns and the Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman.
The official said it had been decided that “in the coming week negotiations will open based on new proposals led by the mediators, Egypt and Qatar and with active US involvement”.
A Hamas official later denied Israeli media reports the talks would resume in Cairo on Tuesday, telling Reuters: “There is no date”.
The US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators have been trying to broker a truce and a prisoner and hostage swap between Israel and Hamas since the collapse of a week-long truce on December 1.
The Gaza war, triggered by the Hamas October attack, has killed about 36,000 Palestinians, wounded more than twice this many and displaced the majority of the territory’s 2.3 million residents. Large parts of built-up areas, including schools, universities and hospitals, have been destroyed.
Israel’s decision to resume the negotiations comes as its government faces growing domestic and international pressure, with the families of the hostages staging street protests to demand that more must be done to secure the release of their loved ones.
The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also facing growing isolation on the international stage.
Last week, the International Criminal Court prosecutor said he was seeking arrest warrants for Mr Netanyahu and his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as well as three Hamas leaders on suspicion of committing war crimes.
Also last week, Ireland, Norway and Spain said they are recognising the state of Palestine and the International Court of Justice ordered Israel in a ruling to immediately halt its military operations in Rafah.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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
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Price: From Dh149,900
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Brief scores:
Manchester City 2
Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'
Crystal Palace 3
Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)
Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
RESULT
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Chelsea: Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
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If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
