Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
For the people of Gaza, Ramadan has always been a time of warmth, generosity and bustling commerce. But this year the holy month arrives as residents of the small Palestinian enclave are struggling to recover from 15 months of a devastating Israeli military offensive that has left families homeless, destroyed livelihoods and made the idea of a better future seem like a distant dream.
Despite the hardships, the resilience of Gaza's people is on full display. The desire to reclaim a sense of normality can be seen in the modest decorations appearing in shop windows and makeshift homes – simple lanterns hanging from doorways, strings of lights and pieces of tinsel.
Mahdi Abu Rukba, 36, is one of many Gazans trying to recreate the magic of the holy month against all odds. Married with three children, he now lives in a tent in Jabalia Camp in northern Gaza with nothing but the bare minimum to survive.
“Despite everything, we are preparing to welcome Ramadan,” Mr Abu Rukba told The National. “We bought a few simple decorations and hung them at the entrance of our tent. It’s not like every other year, but it’s the best we can do. It’s also a way to remind the world of our suffering and the reality of our lives.”
Mr Abu Rukba's family were living in a tent during the previous Ramadan as well, but in the south. They joined the thousands of Gazans who moved back north after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on January 19. They were all hoping to return to their homes and the comfort of familiar surroundings.
“Our home was destroyed in the latest incursion,” Mr Abu Rukba said. “Now, we’re spending Ramadan among the ruins of our lives.”
Even amid the rubble of their neighbourhood, he is trying to create moments of joy for his children. He bought them each a small lantern, hoping the soft glow would bring smiles and a sense of celebration.
“Ramadan in a tent is not easy,” he said. “It’s impossible to fully adapt, but we try. These are our attempts to live, to find joy – for us and for the children, who light up when they see the decorations.”
It is an equally challenging time for Gaza’s traders, for whom Ramadan is usually a busy time. Ghazi Maqtaa, 42, a food trader and shop owner in Gaza city’s popular Al Sahaba market, says he is facing an uphill battle.
“Honestly, goods are quite scarce,” Mr Maqtaa told The National. “Food supplies are available, but other Ramadan necessities are hard to find. There are hardly any new household items or decorations. What’s available are leftovers from before the war, and of course, prices are high.”
While the market is not as crowded as it was before the war, there is a modest turnout of shoppers. People walk through the lanes, their eyes scanning for affordable ways to take a touch of Ramadan’s joy back home.
“People are trying, with the bare minimum, to create a festive atmosphere,” Mr Maqtaa said. “Even shop owners decorated their storefronts – an attempt to move past the war and build a new life among the rubble.”
For many, simply seeing the Ramadan decorations is a source of comfort. “I felt a bit of happiness when I walked through the streets and saw the shops preparing for Ramadan,” Taghreed Yaghi, 40, a mother of three, told The National.
Ms Yaghi spent Ramadan last year in the north, refusing to leave despite the war. She remembers it as the worst Ramadan of her life, with neither food nor festive spirit to be found.
“Of course, I can't compare this to how things used to be, but it’s better than last year,” she said. “The atmosphere and the markets are slowly recovering.”
Ms Yaghi went out shopping for new Ramadan decorations after the ones she used every year were destroyed when a missile hit a room of her home in Gaza city. She sees it as a small but significant step to reclaiming joy.
“The prices are not the same, but I managed to buy some because they add positive energy to our souls,” she said.
Her wish for the future is simple: “I hope next Ramadan will be better, with all our family members gathered around the table, just like before.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')
Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')
Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Most wanted allegations
- Benjamin Macann, 32: involvement in cocaine smuggling gang.
- Jack Mayle, 30: sold drugs from a phone line called the Flavour Quest.
- Callum Halpin, 27: over the 2018 murder of a rival drug dealer.
- Asim Naveed, 29: accused of being the leader of a gang that imported cocaine.
- Calvin Parris, 32: accused of buying cocaine from Naveed and selling it on.
- John James Jones, 31: allegedly stabbed two people causing serious injuries.
- Callum Michael Allan, 23: alleged drug dealing and assaulting an emergency worker.
- Dean Garforth, 29: part of a crime gang that sold drugs and guns.
- Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30: accused of trafficking heroin and crack cocain.
- Mark Francis Roberts, 28: grievous bodily harm after a bungled attempt to steal a £60,000 watch.
- James ‘Jamie’ Stevenson, 56: for arson and over the seizure of a tonne of cocaine.
- Nana Oppong, 41: shot a man eight times in a suspected gangland reprisal attack.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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High profile Al Shabab attacks
- 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
- 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
- 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
- 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
- 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
- 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
Switching%20sides
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
