Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Hamas will not accept an Israeli offer of safe passage out of Gaza for its leader Yahya Sinwar in return for Israeli hostages held in the enclave, a senior source in the group told The National on Thursday.
When asked if the group would consider the proposal, the Hamas source said: "Certainly not. Brother Sinwar and Hamas will not accept it.
"It is not the nature of our leaders to be selfish, to give in for personal interests, or to flee. We will not accept anything less than an honourable exchange deal. Whether by deal or otherwise, brother Sinwar is not thinking of leaving Gaza."
Israeli hostage envoy Gal Hirsch told Bloomberg on Tuesday he was ready "to provide safe passage to Sinwar, his family, whoever wants to join him". Mr Hirsch declined to comment on whether Hamas had responded to the offer. He said Israel would be willing to release Palestinian detainees it holds as part of any deal.
“We want the hostages back. We want demilitarisation, deradicalisation of course – a new system that will manage Gaza,” he said.
An Israeli official told The National the offer had been on the table for at least two days. It is seen as a major concession by Israel to revive ceasefire negotiations.
Mr Sinwar is believed to be in Hamas’s vast tunnel network under Gaza. Allowing his exit calls into question one of Israel’s main war aims – the destruction of Hamas and its leadership, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently vowed to achieve despite international pressure over the war's civilian toll. There is also mounting public anger in Israel based on the belief that his hardline approach is endangering the hostages, with regular protests taking place, some violent.
Israel could yet set its sights on Mr Sinwar were he to accept safe passage to another territory. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office, which Mr Hirsch is a part of, did not immediately respond to questions on this matter, but Israel has a long history of assassinating enemies abroad, most recently Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Mr Hirsch said the idea for safe passage was floated in a bid to save the ceasefire negotiation process, which he said was starting to “look more and more dim".
"The clock is ticking. The hostages do not have time,” he said. Political sources close to Hamas, however, said they expected a new US plan for a Gaza ceasefire deal to be presented within the next 48 hours.
Six Israeli captives were found dead at the end of August, re-energising the protest movement calling for a hostage deal and adding to belief that Mr Netanyahu’s approach is endangering the lives of captives. A minister in Mr Netanyahu’s government and Likud party told Israeli media on Thursday there was “no doubt” military pressure was putting the hostages at risk, but that it was the only way to secure an acceptable deal for Israel.
About 250 people in Israel were abducted on October 7 and taken into Gaza, where 97 remain, many presumed dead, Israel says. Some were released as part of a hostage deal at the end of last year. Only eight living hostages have been rescued in military operations.
Israel has been fighting in Gaza for almost a year after Hamas launched its attack on the country's south that killed about 1,200 people. The death toll from the war in Gaza stands at more than 41,100, with almost 100,000 injured, the enclave's health authorities say.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
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Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
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.
RESULT
Norway 1 Spain 1
Norway: King (90 4')
Spain: Niguez (47')
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.
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EXPATS
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
