Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
In a worn-out tent tucked into a corner of Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, Khadija Al Balawi used up all her flour supply two days ago, turning it into bread that fed her family of 12. Now there is nothing left – no food, no flour – and no hope that anything would come through the sealed border crossings that have kept Gaza cut off from the world for more than 50 days.
“We literally have nothing to eat,” Ms Al Balawi, 54, told The National. “And we don’t have money to buy anything because everything is insanely expensive. A sack of flour costs $150, when you can find it, and most of it is spoilt and unfit for human consumption.”
Hunger looms throughout Gaza. Flour, once a basic commodity, has become a symbol of survival in a war-torn strip slipping rapidly into famine. According to a report by the World Food Programme WFP in March, food prices have soared in the territory, with the price of a 25kg bag of wheat flour selling for up to $50, a 400 per cent increase on pre-March prices. That number has increased by threefold this month already.
A report in December by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) found 91 per cent of Gaza’s population (1.95 million) faced high levels of acute food insecurity classified as IPC phase three (crisis) or above, of which 876,000 people (41 per cent of the population) are in emergency (phase four) and 345,000 (16 per cent) are in catastrophe (phase five).
Community kitchens and bakeries have closed down after fuel and wheat stocks ran out. Aid lorries, lifelines for families like Ms Al Balawi's, have been prevented from entering Gaza since March 2 due to Israel’s continuing blockade and attacks.
Collective punishment
The Israeli bombardment of Gaza has not only destroyed homes but also the infrastructure that sustained everyday life. Bombs have struck food warehouses, water desalination stations and even medical supply depots, exacerbating an already dire crisis.
"This is not just a humanitarian catastrophe, it is a systematic crime,” Amjad Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGO Network, told The National. “Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war. It’s collective punishment.”
He said the Israeli military has also blocked the entry of essential items such as vaccines, medicine, nutritional supplements and fuel, further exposing vulnerable groups, particularly children and mothers. An estimated 92 per cent of children under two and breastfeeding mothers are not receiving their nutritional needs, according to a UN report in March.
Musab Islim, 28, fled his home in Al Shujaiyya neighbourhood after the Israeli army warned of an imminent ground operation. “The hardest part of war is being dragged from one place to another,” he told The National. "Honestly, dying at home is better than being dragged out."
Now living in a tent in western Gaza city with his family of eight, Mr Islim said life has become "unbearable".
“There’s no food, no water, and even if we find anything, it’s unaffordable. This is not something anyone can survive for long. The war is getting worse every day and no one is stopping it. No one is saving us.”
The hardest part, Ms Al Balawi said, is when her children ask for food but there is nothing to give them. “There’s nothing to ease their hunger. That’s what we face every day.”
head of Palestinian NGO Network
Most residents in Gaza have lost their source of income. Ms Al Balawi's husband used to work in a factory and her son in a restaurant, but both businesses were destroyed in the bombings. With no cash and the market collapsing under siege, even those lucky enough to find supplies often face exorbitant prices.
“What the people of Gaza are living through is not only a crisis, it’s a man-made famine,” said Mr Shawa. "This is a deliberate act of collective punishment that must be stopped."
To compound the problem, severe water shortages have reached critical levels, with only one in 10 people currently able to access safe drinking water, Unicef said last month.
UN agencies estimate 1.8 million people – more than half of them children – urgently need water, sanitation and hygiene assistance.
Mr Shawa said the consequences of the Israeli blockade have reached every part of Palestinians' lives in Gaza. Disease is spreading, malnutrition is rampant and the closure of Gaza’s crossings continues to choke what hopes remain.
“I’m terrified of what’s coming,” Ms Al Balawi says. “If the borders don’t open soon, the famine will get worse and we will face something even darker than what we’re living now.”
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
• Bloomberg
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
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Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
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Long read
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Tomorrow 2021
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Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: South Africa, field first
Pakistan (1st innings) 177: Sarfraz 56, Masood 44; Olivier 4-48
South Africa (1st innings) 123-2: Markram 78; Masood 1-4
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona v Real Madrid, 11pm UAE
Match is on BeIN Sports
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
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Read more
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 three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
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The five pillars of Islam
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Tomorrow 2021
Honeymoonish
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The Indo-Pacific
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Brahma Chellaney: South China Sea has become Asean's Achilles heel
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The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
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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.
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Our commentary on Brexit
- Alistair Burt: Despite Brexit, Britain can remain a world power
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
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Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action
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'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Power: 420hp
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Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
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Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Paris Can Wait
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Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
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Towering concerns
Tomorrow 2021
Plastic tipping points
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
PRESIDENTS CUP
Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:
02.32am (Thursday): Marc Leishman/Joaquin Niemann v Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas
02.47am (Thursday): Adam Hadwin/Im Sung-jae v Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
03.02am (Thursday): Adam Scott/An Byeong-hun v Bryson DeChambeau/Tony Finau
03.17am (Thursday): Hideki Matsuyama/CT Pan v Webb Simpson/Patrick Reed
03.32am (Thursday): Abraham Ancer/Louis Oosthuizen v Dustin Johnson/Gary Woodland
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')
More on animal trafficking
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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- Con Coughlin: Choice of the British people will be vindicated
- Sam Williams: Departure is influenced by its sense of place
