Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Mohammed Isleem used to start his day with a coffee and dessert before heading off to his job at an ice cream factory. Now, after more than nine months of war, his days begin by scavenging for firewood to cook breakfast and his nights are haunted by the fear of losing family members in the relentless Israeli bombardment that has destroyed any trace of normal life in Gaza.
Mr Isleem, 29, lives in Gaza city, one of the first areas to be targeted in the Israeli military's ground invasion after the October 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas. As with most of Gaza's urban areas, large parts of its main city have been reduced to rubble.
"My dream is to sleep deeply without hearing the sound of drones or worrying that I might wake up to the sound of bombing that could take my family away from me," Mr Isleem told The National.
More than nine months since the war erupted in the Gaza Strip and civilians are still struggling to cope with the lack of food, water and medical supplies at a time when the UN has declared a famine in the besieged enclave.
The National followed the daily life of Mr Isleem, an ordinary Gazan, who spoke about his struggles since the outbreak of the war.
"I dream every night of taking a hot shower to cleanse and wash away the heavy thoughts that make us weak," he said.
He used to work in an ice cream factory but since the start of the brutal war he is now responsible for the well-being of his eight member family, comprising his parents and siblings.
On a typical day, he collects wood, food and fresh water to ensure his family survives.
After gathering wood to light a fire, his family prepare whatever is available for breakfast, either cans of fava beans and hummus, or dukkah and za'atar.
“We make a pot of tea, but only use one spoonful of sugar because sugar is extremely expensive in northern Gaza,” he said.
Gaza's humanitarian situation has deteriorated since early May, as the war has spread to the south, hitting aid flows amid restrictions by Israel, which has accused UN agencies of failing to distribute supplies efficiently.
“Before the war, I used to spend 30 minutes after waking up taking a shower, having my coffee and then going to work. Now, it takes more than four hours just to start the day,” he said.
Searching for water in hot weather
After breakfast, Mr Isleem gets ready with some neighbours to fetch fresh and salty water.
He walks for about 500 metres in the heat to reach a tank for fresh water. It costs $1 to fill a gallon jug, which is expensive for most Gazans. The journey home is exhausting so he rests every 100m.
"We dream of drinking cold water, but unfortunately, the water we drink is hot due to the weather," he said.
Salt water is used for washing and cleaning. Mr Isleem schedules a time for when the water arrives in the neighbourhood every few days. He then stores it in a barrel to use in the bathroom and for cleaning.
“I always remind my family to use water sparingly because it’s scarce,” he said.
The struggle to find food
Mr Isleem says the real struggle begins when he starts to look for daily food.
He gets on his bike and goes to a market called Sahaba, which was set up after the war started.
Do you know what it means to miss certain foods and not be able to eat them?
Mohammed Isleem,
Gaza resident
He looks for anything the family could eat but, unfortunately, the market mainly offers canned food and limited vegetables.
“Do you know what it means to miss certain foods and not be able to eat them? Not because of a health problem or a shortage of money, but because you are being punished for deciding to stay home," he said.
He waits an hour in the queue at the bakery to buy bread that typically lasts his family a day.
"If the line is too long, I bake at home. I love baking with my own hands, using a fire stove. It reminds me of the old times," he said.
After the toil of looking for food, he takes an hour to rest each day, before he begins repair work on the damaged family home with his father.
Finally, in the evenings Mr Isleem and his family visit neighbours for a few hours to talk and catch up. They avoid using flashlights for fear of drawing the attention of Israeli forces. "We are dreaming of the day the war ends," he said.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Borussia Dortmund 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 43')
Man of the match: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
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UAE'S%20YOUNG%20GUNS
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
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
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETamer%20Ruggli%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadine%20Labaki%2C%20Fanny%20Ardant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
FA%20Cup%20semi-final%20draw
%3Cp%3ECoventry%20City%20v%20Manchester%20United%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Chelsea%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Games%20to%20be%20played%20at%20Wembley%20Stadium%20on%20weekend%20of%20April%2020%2F21.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Stan%20Lee
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The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
RESULT
Arsenal 2
Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'
Eddie Ntkeiah 51'
Portsmouth 0
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
