Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Hamas has agreed in principle to an Egyptian proposal for a truce in Gaza of up to 30 days and the release of some of the hostages seized from Israel last year, sources told The National on Monday.
They said Hamas's initial agreement to the plan was delivered to Egyptian negotiators on Sunday, when senior leaders from the Palestinian militant group, Khalil Al Hayya and Zaher Jabareen, paid a lightning visit to Cairo.
The Hamas leaders also submitted a list of the hostages the group is planning to release as part of a swap with Israel for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The list includes captives who are US citizens or dual US-Israel citizens, the sources said. They did not say how many.
The sources said Hamas had started compiling a list of the estimated 100 hostages held by militants in Gaza, establishing their names, whereabouts, state of health and the number of those who had died while in captivity.
They said the headcount was a prelude to the release of some of the hostages under Egypt's proposed truce plan that includes the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza and Israel's gradual withdrawal from a strip of land abutting the entire length of the enclave's border with Egypt, including the Rafah crossing, the only land exit from Gaza that is not controlled by Israel.
The development marks a change of heart by Hamas, which had in the past refused to entertain Israeli requests for information on the hostages.
According to Israel's military, about 40 of the 100 remaining hostages are dead.
Fighters from Hamas and allied groups took about 250 hostages back to Gaza during an attack on southern Israel in October last year, in which they killed 1,200 people. Most were released during a week-long truce in November last year or freed by Israeli forces during the relentless military campaign launched by Israel in Gaza in response to the attack.
Hamas wants Israel to free hundreds of Palestinians incarcerated in Israel on security-related charges in exchange for the hostages. They include high-profile figures from Hamas and other Palestinian factions.
There was no word immediately available from Hamas on the group's position on Egypt's truce proposal but the sources said Mr Al Hayya and Mr Jabareen on Sunday handed the Egyptian negotiators several amendments they would like to be adopted. They gave no details.
The sources also said Turkish officials have been in contact with their US and Israeli counterparts over plans to relocate senior Hamas officials and military commanders from Gaza to Turkey, where the group already has a sizeable presence. They said Israel had given assurances not to hunt down Hamas officials if they agree to leave Gaza and live in exile.
Hamas has previously rejected similar Israeli offers of safe passage out of the battered coastal strip, where Israel's military operations have to date killed more than 44,700 Palestinians and injured more than twice that number.
On Sunday, Qatar called for pressure to be applied on all sides to reach a ceasefire, saying the Israeli “bloodshed” against Palestinians must end now and without reservation.
“Pressure on both sides is necessary in any conflict,” said Majed Al Ansari, adviser to the Qatari Prime Minister and spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “You don't mediate between friends, you mediate between adversaries. You mediate between those who are aiming to basically either diminish each other or abolish each other. And this is what we are seeing right now in this country.”
Qatar's Prime Minister also struck an upbeat note on the prospects for a Gaza deal, saying momentum had returned to the talks after Donald Trump's election as US president last month, a shift from the previously held view that there would be no movement in the talks before the president-elect takes office next month.
“We have sensed, after the election, that the momentum is coming back,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim, who is also his nation's Foreign Minister, told the Doha Forum for political dialogue on Saturday.
He said there had been “a lot of encouragement from the incoming administration in order to achieve a deal, even before the president comes to the office”.
He added: “We hope to get things done as soon as possible. We hope that the willingness of the parties to engage in good faith continues.”
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
FIGHT%20CARD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFeatherweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYousuf%20Ali%20(2-0-0)%20(win-loss-draw)%20v%20Alex%20Semugenyi%20(0-1-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBenyamin%20Moradzadeh%20(0-0-0)%20v%20Rohit%20Chaudhary%20(4-0-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHeavyweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYoussef%20Karrar%20(1-0-0)%20v%20Muhammad%20Muzeei%20(0-0-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMarwan%20Mohamad%20Madboly%20(2-0-0)%20v%20Sheldon%20Schultz%20(4-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20featherweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBishara%20Sabbar%20(6-0-0)%20v%20Mohammed%20Azahar%20(8-5-1)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECruiseweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMohammed%20Bekdash%20(25-0-0)%20v%20Musa%20N%E2%80%99tege%20(8-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20flyweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESultan%20Al%20Nuaimi%20(9-0-0)%20v%20Jemsi%20Kibazange%20(18-6-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELightweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBader%20Samreen%20(8-0-0)%20v%20Jose%20Paez%20Gonzales%20(16-2-2-)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
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).
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
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
