Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Hamas on Saturday said it agreed to a Gaza ceasefire proposal it received two days before from mediators in Egypt and Qatar but Israel said it made a counter-offer in co-ordination with the US.
“Two days ago, we received a proposal from our mediator brothers. We dealt with it positively and approved it,” the group said in a statement. “We hope that the Zionist occupation will not obstruct it and thwart the mediators' efforts,” it added, referring to Israel.
Senior Egyptian mediators were in Qatar and Israel on Friday to discuss Cairo's latest ceasefire proposals with Israeli and Hamas negotiators, sources told The National.
They said the Egyptians were proposing a 50-day humanitarian truce, with Hamas releasing at least five hostages, including a dual US-Israel national, before the end of the first seven days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Saturday said it had a series of consultations on the proposals from mediators. “A few hours ago, Israel conveyed to the mediators a counter-proposal in full co-ordination with the US,” the statement added.
A ceasefire in Gaza went into effect on January 19, ending 15 months of war, and enabling the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The truce was shattered by renewed Israeli strikes on the enclave on March 18.
The Egyptian proposals also included a US guarantee that the negotiations would end with an Israeli withdrawal as well as a permanent ceasefire. The resumption of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza and the release of more prisoners are also required, the sources said.
Hamas's armed wing on Saturday released video showing an Israeli hostage in Gaza calling on the government to secure his release, the second such video posted to social media by the militant group within days.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group identified the man as Elkana Bohbot, who was abducted from the site of a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack.
In Saturday's video, Mr Bohbot again said the continuing bombardment could cost him his life, asking to be reunited with his wife and son.
Since Israel renewed its offensive in Gaza, Hamas has warned that the military operations could put the hostages in danger. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, 58 remain in captivity in Gaza, including 34 whom the Israeli military says are dead.
On Saturday evening, thousands of Israelis protested in the country's commercial hub Tel Aviv, calling on the government of Mr Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal. Rare protests have also taken place in the north of Gaza over the past days with residents chanting anti-Hamas slogans and demanding an end to the war.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
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
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
