Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The UN's agency for Palestinians said it would suspend aid delivery through the Karam Abu Salem border crossing, Gaza's primary route for humanitarian assistance, after the seizure and looting of lorries by armed groups on Saturday.
“We are pausing the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom, the main crossing point for humanitarian aid into Gaza,” UNRWA commissioner general Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X on Sunday, using the Israeli name for the crossing.
“The road out of this crossing has not been safe for months. On November 16, a large convoy of aid trucks was stolen by armed gangs. Yesterday, we tried to bring in a few food trucks on the same route. They were all taken.”
The UN has reported several incidents of armed robberies of lorries that were finally allowed into Gaza, after hours and sometimes days of waiting at the border. Both Palestinian and UN officials have said Israel has failed to provide a safe environment for the distribution of aid in Gaza, by creating a power vacuum that has enabled armed groups to proliferate.
Gaza's neighbour Egypt, accused Israel of preventing humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza, "through the imposition of obstacles that are unjustified and illegal".
"Even the assistance that is allowed to enter is faced with difficulty in reaching those in need because of theft and sabotage due the lack of security and other dangers that prevent aid workers from doing their job," Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told the Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza.
Karam Abu Salem has been the main entry point for aid into Gaza since the Rafah border crossing closed in May. Director of the government media office in Gaza, Ismaeel Thawabta, said Israeli forces “bulldozed” the Rafah border crossing, “rendering it unusable”.
Subsequent media attention at the time allowed only dozens of trucks, nonetheless, through Rafah, he said. But these limited shipments of aid were used by the occupying Israeli forces for “propaganda purposes”, he told The National.
Mr Thawabta said armed groups continued to take small amounts of incoming aid.
“These rogue elements, operating in southern Gaza, have been stealing aid trucks meant for traders and the Palestinian people, tarnishing the reputation of the resilient population and worsening conditions for displaced persons,” he said.
Efforts to address the issue of lawless groups have achieved limited success. “These groups operate in areas where security teams cannot move due to the dire conditions imposed by the Israeli occupation. Moreover, their actions occur under the occupation’s watch, suggesting tacit approval of their harmful behaviour,” he said.
UNRWA spokeswoman Louise Wateridge last month accused Israel of creating an environment that allows lawlessness to prevail. She said Israeli authorities were “disregarding their legal obligations in creating a safe environment” and reinforcing “criminal activities and lawlessness”.
The situation remains critical as aid shortages have driven up market prices, intensifying the humanitarian catastrophe. The UN said that while it cannot track what has happened to looted aid deliveries, much of it has been “repurposed”. Witnesses described seeing aid meant for free distribution being sold for higher prices at markets – with flour being sold for up to five times the original price.
Israeli forces have killed 706 police officers and security personnel through air strikes and attacks since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October last year, Mr Thawabta said. “The occupation carried out 141 attacks on teams working to secure aid delivery, aiming to create security, administrative, governmental, and social vacuums,” he said.
After media pressure, some lorries began being allowed entry into Gaza, he said. “The government in Gaza prioritised delivering this aid to displaced persons and succeeded in doing so,” he told The National. However, the situation remains dire, he said.
Inas Hamdan, Gaza's Acting Public Information Officer at UNRWA, said looting is among one of the biggest threats to bringing aid in, as it places the lives of lorry drivers at risk. “We cannot continue to endanger the lives of drivers; some have been killed or injured while attempting to deliver aid under the current conditions that prevent successful delivery,” she told The National.
Despite UNRWA's announcement of halting aid temporarily, Ms Inas said it is working to address the issue.
“We will continue our efforts and persist in seeking solutions. It is imperative to ensure the safe flow of aid into Gaza and stop attacks on humanitarian workers. We renew our call for a ceasefire, safe passage, and the facilitation of an effective humanitarian response for over two million people trapped in the Gaza Strip who need everything after 14 months of brutal war.”
The Israeli army did not respond The National's repeated requests for comment.
- Additional reporting by Hamza Hendawi
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
SPECS
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The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Library: A Catalogue of Wonders
Stuart Kells, Counterpoint Press
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
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
