Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Humanitarian gains made during the Gaza ceasefire have been “reversed”, a UN official told The National on Thursday, after deadly air strikes on the war-torn strip earlier this week.
Israel resumed its bombing of Gaza this week, killing more than 500 people and breaking a ceasefire deal intended to eventually end the war. The truce, which began on January 19, allowed aid to enter the enclave and displaced families separated by the conflict to reunite and rebury loved ones closer to their homes.
“The gains we made during the ceasefire in supporting survivors have now been reversed,” said Tamara Al Rifai, spokeswoman for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Since the first phase ended on March 1, with Israel insisting on an extension and Hamas wanting to move on to the next phase as agreed, Gaza has "been completely sealed off to food, medicine, fuel, cooking gas," she said.
Israel blocked the entry of aid shipments to Gaza earlier this month, hours after the first phase of the ceasefire expired. The second phase of the deal would have enabled negotiations for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Instead, Israel has renewed its bombing campaign.
The strikes have increased hunger and imposed further hardship on the territory where nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70 per cent of buildings and roads damaged since the war began in October 2023. “UNRWA’s life-saving activities, especially food distribution and health care, continue against the resurgence of the fighting. Our staff stay and deliver to their community, while knowing the risks they face,” Ms Al Rifai said.
The resumption of strikes "is a nightmare for people of Gaza and aid workers," she added. A total of 281 UNRWA workers have been killed in the war. The agency's chief, Philippe Lazzarini, said on Thursday that UNRWA had lost five of its staff in Gaza since the Israeli bombardment resumed early on Tuesday.
"They were teachers, doctors and nurses: serving the most vulnerable," Mr Lazzarini said on X. He said that Israeli bombardment continued from air and sea for the third day in Gaza. "We are fearing that the worst is yet to come given the ongoing ground invasion separating the north from the south," he added.
"International law is clear. Civilians – including UN staff and humanitarian workers – must not be targeted," Ms Al Rifai said, calling on the international community to join the UN body in insisting on an investigation into the bombing.
"Locations of UN premises, including UNRWA’s shelters, are known to parties and are by international law inviolable," she said. She said UNRWA's call is clear: to "protect aid workers, and we need a full investigation and a commission of inquiry to address all violations against the inviolability of UN premises and personnel by all parties".
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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
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Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
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0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
The specs: 2018 Maserati Ghibli
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.9L / 100km
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
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The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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
