Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The US-led search for a Gaza ceasefire and hostages release may be close to fruition after a year of on-and-off negotiations, sources told The National on Monday, as senior US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators gathered with Israeli and Hamas negotiators in Doha to finalise a deal.
A draft framework of a possible agreement has been leaked. The text, seen by The National on Monday, proposes a 42-day truce, staggered release of hostages held by Hamas, partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as well as the return home of displaced Palestinians and the dispatch of significant amounts of humanitarian assistance, including fuel.
An official close to the talks told The National the parties are waiting for Hamas’s response to the draft before going into a final round of negotiations and that there was a real possibility of a breakthrough. Significant progress has been made and the next few days would be critical, he added.
The draft, the authenticity of which could not be independently verified, makes no mention of some of Hamas's long-standing conditions including a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.
It also makes no mention of Israel's withdrawal from a narrow strip of land called Salah Al Din, also known as the Philadelphi Corridor, that runs the entire length of the Egypt-Gaza border on the Palestinian side and includes the Rafah crossing. The crossing is Gaza's only exit and entry point not controlled by Israel.
The war in Gaza began 15 months ago after Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 and kidnapping about 250 others. Israel responded with a devastating military campaign that has to date killed about 46,600 Palestinians and injured more than twice that number, the government in Gaza says. About 2.3 million residents have been displaced.
Hamas and allied militant groups are believed to be still holding about 100 hostages, of whom the Israeli military says as many as 40 have died in captivity. At least 33 hostages, including the remains of the dead, would be released during the initial truce, with women, minors, the elderly and ailing hostages included in the first batch.
“We are very, very close,” US President Joe Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. “Yet being very close still means we’re far because until you actually get across the finish line, we’re not there.”
Mr Sullivan said during a news briefing on Monday that a deal in Gaza could be reached "this week".
“I'm not making a promise or a prediction, but it's there for the taking, and we're waiting for it to make it happen," he said. He added that the Biden administration, which will leave office in less than a week, is closely co-ordinating with Donald Trump's incoming team to “present a united message”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Biden spoke on Sunday about the efforts to reach a deal, in a sign of the intensifying push for a breakthrough before Donald Trump's inauguration next week.
Their call came as the head of Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence agency, David Barnea, and Mr Biden’s top Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, were both in the Qatari capital. Mr Barnea’s presence, confirmed by Mr Netanyahu’s office, means high-level Israeli officials needed to sign off on any agreement are now involved in the talks.
In Doha on Monday, Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met separately with Hamas negotiators, Mr McGurk and Steve Witkoff, US president-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy.
The White House later released a statement saying Mr Biden has spoken to Sheikh Tamim to discuss "negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire and hostage release deal".
The statement said: "Both leaders emphasised the urgent need for a deal to be implemented to return the hostages ... and bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza through a surge in humanitarian aid enabled by the ceasefire and called for in the deal."
According to the draft, the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons will depend on the commitment of both sides to the terms of the proposed deal, including observing the truce, Israel's withdrawal and the return home of the displaced, as well as the entry of humanitarian assistance.
Israel will halt all aerial activity during the truce for 10 hours every day and 12 on days when the exchange of hostages for detainees is taking place. The fate of 100 Palestinian prisoners and detainees who Hamas wants freed as part of the deal would be discussed at a later stage, the draft says. It stipulates the release of 30 to 50 Palestinians for every hostage freed by Hamas.
The proposed deal provides for the daily arrival of 600 lorries laden with humanitarian assistance, including 50 carrying fuel. Half of the convoy will head to the north of the Gaza Strip, by far the most devastated part of the coastal enclave. Hospitals, bakeries and medical centres would be repaired and brought back into operation.
Machinery to remove debris would enter Gaza during the 42-day truce and at least 60,000 caravans and 200,000 tents would be allowed in to house residents who have lost their homes.
Israel and Hamas will engage in indirect negotiations starting no later than the 16th day of the truce to iron out details of the second phase of the deal and the release of the remaining hostages, mostly Israeli soldiers and civilian men.
Thomas Helm in Jerusalem and Jihan Abdalla in Washington contributed to this report
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Malin Cilic (CRO) v Benoit Paire (FRA) [8]
Not before 4pm:
Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]
Not before 7pm:
Pablo Carreno Busta (SPA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [2]
Roberto Bautista Agut (SPA) [5] v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
Court One
Starting at 2pm
Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) v Dennis Novak (AUT)
Joao Sousa (POR) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
Not before 5pm:
Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) [1] v Marin Cilic v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Nikoloz Basilashvili v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
The%20end%20of%20Summer
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Salha%20Al%20Busaidy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20316%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20The%20Dreamwork%20Collective%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
The bio
Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales
Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow
Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades
Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus
Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga
Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Belong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Askew%20and%20Matthew%20Gaziano%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%243.5%20million%20from%20crowd%20funding%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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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.
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Anna and the Apocalypse
Director: John McPhail
Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Mark Benton
Three stars
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RESULT
Fifth ODI, at Headingley
England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
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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
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MANDOOB
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The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
