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What Israel called a "misunderstanding" was something far worse for Anwar Radwan as he stood beside his son's grave, his hands trembling and his voice hoarse.
Rifaat, a 25-year-old paramedic, was one of 15 Palestinians killed in a night-time shooting by Israeli troops in Gaza last month. After the bodies were bulldozed into a mass grave, it took days before the remains of Rifaat and the other victims were returned to their families.
Having initially claimed the victims were "advancing suspiciously" with no emergency lights on their ambulances, Israel first had to backtrack when video footage proved otherwise, then fired a field commander after an investigation by the military. Another officer was reprimanded.
“Is that really the punishment for killing 15 human beings who were carrying out humanitarian duties protected under international law?” asked Mr Radwan, speaking to The National. “Executed in cold blood, then buried in a horrific and inhumane manner?”
Israel's military admitted to "several professional failures" over the killings but claimed, without providing evidence, that six of the 15 victims were members of Hamas. It said the deaths resulted from an "operational misunderstanding" and poor visibility at night in Gaza.
“My son Rifaat Radwan was not affiliated with any Palestinian faction,” the father said. “All the accusations made by the Israeli army against him and his colleagues, who were cold-bloodedly killed, are false and cannot in any way cover up the horror and gravity of the crime.”
Mr Radwan said those responsible should have been "held accountable appropriately" under international law, but believes that in reality "there is no one in the world ready or willing to restrain the occupation" by Israeli troops.
“I don’t understand how the world can accept this so-called investigation,” he said. “It treats the massacre of 15 humanitarian workers like it was a mistake or some trivial matter.
"The investigation blames the victims and excuses the executioners for a crime so severe and cruel that humanity should never, ever forget it.”
Night-time attack
The killings of medics and first responders sparked international outrage, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres saying humanitarian workers "must be protected at all times". They were fired upon in three separate incidents, their bodies later crushed beneath the bulldozers in what Israel denied was an attempted cover-up.
"Due to poor night visibility, the deputy commander did not initially recognise the vehicles as ambulances," the Israeli military said. "Only later, after approaching the vehicles and scanning them, was it discovered that these were indeed rescue teams."
Paramedic Ibrahim Abu Al Kass, who had spent years working alongside some of those killed, said the victims had no ties to political factions and were always meticulous about safety.
“They were a true example of humanitarian service,” he told The National. “They took every possible precaution. But the Israeli army does not distinguish between anyone, it targets all Palestinians, whether they are humanitarian workers or ordinary civilians.”
Mr Abu Al Kass accused the army of trying to conceal the killings by destroying the vehicles and bodies, saying the crime was “one of the most horrific acts committed in this war”.
“The investigations are weak,” he said. “The army will continue to kill medics and humanitarian workers because no one is holding them accountable.”
Grief has now become routine for Gaza’s emergency responders. They continue their work, though now with an even heavier burden. Mr Abu Al Kass says every mission feels like walking into a trap.
“But we won’t stop,” he said. “We just wish someone in this world would see our lives as worth protecting.”
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Results
2.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner Lamia, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
3.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.30pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 1,700m
Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
