Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
“I could not believe my eyes when I saw the minarets of the Sacred Mosque. I escaped death a thousand times,” Aouni Abdul Hamid tells The National as he arrives in Makkah for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, months after escaping Gaza where he lost his entire family in the war.
Mr Abdul Hamid was an ambulance driver with the Palestinian Ministry of Health and spent the first 60 days of the war transporting the injured, listening to their cries of agony, treating their wounds and trying to alleviate their pain.
“I have transported hundreds of wounded people, but I could not drive my own children and family to the hospital. I reached my home after it was bombed only to find it in ruins. My entire family was martyred,” he said.
He is one of a group of 1,000 family members of Palestinians who were killed or wounded in Gaza invited to Saudi Arabia by King Salman to perform the Hajj this year.
Under the initiative, 2,000 pilgrims will arrive from Palestine.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have flocked to Makkah for the Hajj pilgrimage, this year taking place in the shadow of the Gaza war.
One of the world's largest annual religious gatherings officially begins on Friday, and Saudi officials are trying to keep the focus on prayers.
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al Rabiah warned last week that “no political activity” will be tolerated.
The bloodiest ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures.
The Israeli army then launched a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 37,200 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.
After reaching his hotel in the Ray Bakhsh neighbourhood, which overlooks the Sacred Mosque, Mr Abdul Hamid said he could not believe his eyes when he saw the minarets.
“After my house was bombed and my entire family was martyred, I was arrested and imprisoned for three months. Because of the torture I endured, they had to amputate three of my toes,” he said.
“With God’s help, I was released from prison, and I underwent two operations on my foot. Today, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to perform this pilgrimage journey to his sacred house,” he said.
Abdullah Hassan walked tall and proud towards the hotel accommodating the pilgrims from Gaza. The war took away both his parents, his older brother, three of his children, his two sisters, and all of his nieces and nephews.
“We thank the leadership and the people of Saudi Arabia for this generous initiative to alleviate our suffering by inviting us on this pilgrimage journey. Perhaps this will help us find some solace,” he said.
Also among the pilgrims is Harbi Al Suwaikiri, who was circling the hotel lobby in his wheelchair, his face radiating with joy.
“I spent 10 years in prison. They had sentenced me to 800 years of imprisonment because I am a general in the Palestinian Authority. I never imagined I would be here in the holy city of Makkah, wearing the Ihram garment to perform Hajj,” he said.
“But God is all-powerful. I was released during the recent crisis, but I was the victim of a bombing, and my leg was amputated from the knee down. But my suffering was relieved when I was invited by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to perform Hajj in Makkah.
“All my pains have subsided, and I will return to Gaza with more determination and resolve because everything is possible when one has hope.”
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
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.
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
WITHIN%20SAND
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SPEC%20SHEET
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Sunday:
GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
Performance: Guns N' Roses
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
SPECS
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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)
