Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Mansour Dahdah has been employed by Lebanon’s Civil Defence for 38 years and has witnessed crime scenes, mangled car wrecks and the aftermaths of tragic accidents.
But the head of the team for northern Lebanon's Zgharta district says he has never seen anything as gruesome as the site of Monday’s Israeli strike on a house in Aitou village that killed at least 23 people.
“We found 22 bodies last night. And this morning we pulled out the body of an infant from the bed of a pickup lorry – no more than six or seven months old,” Mr Dahdah told The National on Tuesday. “He may have been thrown there by the force of the blast.” Only six people survived.
The strike on Aitou, a village in Christian-majority Zgharta, was Israel's first attack on the area and one of the northernmost in Lebanon since the conflict started in October last year. So far, the vast majority of Israeli military strikes on Lebanon has been in the south, the Bekaa Valley, and parts of Beirut.
The strike, which Israel's military has not commented on, targeted a two-storey house belonging to Elie Alawan, who said he had recently rented the apartment out to a family from the southern Lebanese village of Aitaroun who had been forcibly displaced by the Israeli bombardment. The Israeli army did not issue a warning before the strike and has yet to release a statement.
At least 12 women and three children were among those killed in the strike, rescue workers told The National. Monday’s attack levelled the house, which Mr Dahdah said was detached but still close to other residential buildings.
“During the first few hours of the search and rescue, there were bodies everywhere,” he said. “The dust and rubble were so bad we couldn’t tell faces apart from bodies, never mind gender from gender.”
He himself pulled out the remains of a toddler. “The scene was truly horrific. We found the child, around two years old, under the body of his father near the wall of the garden. I pulled out a leg that was severed from the child's body. I carried the severed leg and helped my colleague carry out the rest of the child.”
The owner of the house, Elie Alawan, said he had last week rented his house to eight members of the Hijazi family – two men and six women, but that other family members joined the original crew until the house was filled with around 21 people.
“They were a great family. Very respectful. They never caused any problems. Super respectful – I knew them personally,” he said.
Mr Alawan added he had a professional relationship with the family, who owned a construction equipment company he often purchased equipment from. Residents told him that two cars had pulled up to the house and that "one person came out of the car and went inside around 10 or 15 minutes or so before the strike hit".
He said he didn’t know whether the Israeli strike had targeted the Hijazi family or the visitors who had arrived minutes earlier.
Mr Alawan's brother and next-door neighbour, Dani, interjected to say, “The strike clearly targeted the house since the entire structure came tumbling down.”
Zgharta district MP Michel Moawad, who is aligned with the anti-Hezbollah opposition parliamentary bloc, had told local media on Monday that "it was not the town of Aitou that was targeted ... it was a member of Hezbollah who was with his family [in the targeted building]".
Mr Moawad cited "security forces" as the source of the information but evaded follow-up questions from the reporter. He also warned against allowing "armed or party-affiliated infiltrators" to stay in Zgharta and discouraged displacement centres and renters from hosting displaced people "without us checking their identity and without co-ordination from the Lebanese army."
A high-level security official who spoke to The National on the condition of anonymity said there was no truth in Mr Moawad's claim that a member of Hezbollah was in the building.
Sleiman Frangieh, leader of the Hezbollah-allied Marada movement – and Hezbollah's preferred candidate for the Lebanese presidency – suggested the strike on Aitou was aimed at exploiting sectarian and political tensions and creating "a negative atmosphere and internal conflicts, which is very dangerous, especially for Christians". He also named other villages in predominantly Christian areas recently targeted by Israel's bombardment, such as Deir Billa in Batroun district and Maaysra in the Keseruan district.
Residents of the small village said that while the strike may have been shocking, it was hardly a surprise. "It's a terror attack and we don't know why terrorists operate the way they do," a summer resident of the mostly seasonally occupied town said. He had driven up on Tuesday morning to check on his house nearby.
He expressed fear over Israel's targeting of several predominantly Christian or mixed-sect areas of Lebanon which host people displaced by the war. "We don't know who they are. At the same time, in the end they're civilians and we want to help them because they've lost their own homes."
Israel escalated its military campaign in Lebanon with heavy air strikes and ground troop incursions late last month, after nearly a year of low-level cross-border exchanges of fire with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The Israeli army on Monday ordered the residents of 25 villages in southern Lebanon to leave and move to areas north of the Awali river.
Since the conflict started last October, more than 2,300 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, at least half of them in the past month since Israel started an all-out war. The fighting has also displaced an estimated 1.2 million people.
"They were people who were running away from war," Mr Alawan told The National. "They needed somewhere to stay. What was I supposed to do, dismiss them?"
"Of course not. Not if I could help. Well, now that family is gone. And so is my home.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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 specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
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Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
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
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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%3Cp%3EChris%20Jordan%20insists%20Sanchit%20Sharma%20will%20make%20an%20impact%20on%20the%20ILT20%2C%20despite%20him%20starting%20the%20campaign%20on%20Gulf%20Giants'%20bench.%3Cbr%3EThe%20young%20UAE%20seamer%20was%20an%20instant%20success%20for%20the%20side%20last%20season%2C%20and%20remained%20part%20of%20the%20XI%20as%20they%20claimed%20the%20title.%3Cbr%3EHe%20has%20yet%20to%20feature%20this%20term%20as%20the%20Giants%20have%20preferred%20Aayan%20Khan%20and%20Usman%20Khan%20as%20their%20two%20UAE%20players%20so%20far.%3Cbr%3EHowever%2C%20England%20quick%20Jordan%20is%20sure%20his%20young%20colleague%20will%20have%20a%20role%20to%20play%20at%20some%20point.%3Cbr%3E%22Me%20and%20Sanchit%20have%20a%20great%20relationship%20from%20last%20season%2C%22%20Jordan%20said.%3Cbr%3E%22Whenever%20I%20am%20working%20with%20more%20inexperienced%20guys%2C%20I%20take%20pleasure%20in%20sharing%20as%20much%20as%20possible.%3Cbr%3E%22I%20know%20what%20it%20was%20like%20when%20I%20was%20younger%20and%20learning%20off%20senior%20players.%3Cbr%3E%22Last%20season%20Sanchit%20kick-started%20our%20season%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20with%20a%20brilliant%20man-of-the-match%20performance.%3Cbr%3E%22Coming%20into%20this%20one%2C%20I%20have%20seen%20a%20lot%20of%20improvement.%20The%20focus%20he%20is%20showing%20will%20only%20stand%20him%20in%20good%20stead.%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
