Live updates: Follow the latest from Israel-Gaza
At least nine people were killed in separate Israeli attacks on refugee camps in Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian health authorities said on Wednesday, as the Israeli army launched its biggest military operations there in years.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas cut short his official visit to Saudi Arabia and was returning to the West Bank "as a result of Israel's escalated aggression", the Palestinian state news agency Wafa reported. Mr Abbas had arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday and met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday.
Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for the eviction of Palestinian residents from the areas in the north West Bank where the military was conducting its operations. “We need to deal with the [terror] threat exactly as we deal with terror infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians and any other step needed,” he said in a post on X on Wednesday.
Several hours after Mr Katz's comments, Wafa reported that Israeli forces had ordered Palestinians in the Nur Shams refugee camp, near Tulkarm, to leave within four hours.
Mr Katz said Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank were working on dismantling an Iranian-backed terror network. “Iran is working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank, according to the Gaza and Lebanon model, by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling weapons from Jordan,” he said.
The Israeli army announced early on Wednesday it was launching an anti-terror raid in the occupied West Bank. The military believes that a terror network responsible for planning an attempted suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last week is based in Tulkarm, Israeli media reported, citing military sources who said they expected the large-scale operation there to last several days.
Wednesday's offensive is the latest episode of violence in the West Bank amid a surge in recent weeks, with at least 660 people killed since the war in Gaza broke out on October 7, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. Helicopters, drones, tanks and bulldozers were sent into Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarm early in the morning, sparking clashes with Palestinian fighters. Footage posted on social media and shared by Palestinian media showed Israeli bulldozers moving into the cities and destroying infrastructure.
Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank in the past 24 hours
Palestinian media reported heavy fighting in the cities and added that ambulances were prevented from getting to the injured. Israeli forces stormed Jenin and surrounded Jenin Government Hospital and Ibn Sina Hospital during the clashes. Two Palestinian men were killed in the fighting while three others were killed in an Israeli drone strike on their vehicle.
The Israeli army said its "counterterrorism operation" in Jenin and Tulkarm was launched "from the air and ground, dismantling explosives planted under the roads and confiscating large quantities of weapons". In Far'a refugee camp, it said it had "eliminated four armed terrorists".
The Jenin refugee camp has been a target of Israeli military campaigns, particularly since the war broke out in Gaza. The Netanyahu government claims the camp is a stronghold of armed factions responsible for committing and plotting attacks against Israel.
Israeli strikes killed four people, including a 13 and a 17 year-old, in the Far'a refugee camp south of the city of Tubas. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said ambulances were not allowed to reach the camp to treat the wounded. Drone strikes on Nur Shams camp in Tulkarm also injured two people.
PRCS said Israeli forces stormed a medical point in Far'a refugee camp, detained the team and cut their communication off. In a video posted on X by the group, soldiers were seen lining their team members up against a wall.
Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes south of Hebron on Wednesday, amid violence elsewhere in the West Bank. Settler attacks on the West Bank have increased since the war in Gaza began. The UN documented at least 1,250 incidents and 120 deaths as of August 12.
The latest flare-up of violence comes a day after five people were killed in a strike on Nur Shams camp and one person was shot dead by Israeli settlers in the village of Wadi Rahhal.
Israeli strikes on Gaza continued on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people, according to Wafa. Five people were killed in the southern city of Khan Younis, four in Jabalia camp in the north and three in the centre of the enclave. Two people were killed in the west of Gaza city and a journalist and his sister were killed in Nuseirat, central Gaza.
A “hostile aircraft” launched from Lebanon injured an Israeli soldier in northern Israel, the military said on Tuesday, without adding further information. One person was wounded in Lebanon after a suspected Israeli air strike targeted a pick-up truck on the same day.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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
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
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
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UAE FIXTURES
October 18 – 7.30pm, UAE v Oman, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 19 – 7.30pm, UAE v Ireland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 21 – 2.10pm, UAE v Hong Kong, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 22 – 2.10pm, UAE v Jersey, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 24 – 10am, UAE v Nigeria, Abu Dhabi Cricket Oval 1
October 27 – 7.30pm, UAE v Canada, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 29 – 2.10pm, Playoff 1 – A2 v B3; 7.30pm, Playoff 2 – A3 v B2, at Dubai International Stadium.
October 30 – 2.10pm, Playoff 3 – A4 v Loser of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Playoff 4 – B4 v Loser of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 1 – 2.10pm, Semifinal 1 – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Semifinal 2 – A1 v Winner of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 2 – 2.10pm, Third place Playoff – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Final, at Dubai International Stadium
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
