Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Israel was roundly condemned on Tuesday for plans to seize control of Gaza in a wider offensive that one minister said would leave the strip "entirely destroyed".
Residents of Gaza told The National they were terrified of an Israeli assault that could force them to flee their homes yet again. An Israeli plan for aid to be delivered to famine-threatened Palestinians in zones run by private security guards was rejected by the UN.
While Israel's new war plans have not been officially announced, they are believed to include a wider ground operation and an indefinite "conquest" of Gaza. Hamas issued a warning that the new military plans would endanger the lives of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian group.
Gazans defiant
Some Gazans are rejecting calls to move south and vowing to remain in their homes despite the humanitarian crisis. Mohammed Harb, 37, who was displaced from Sheikh Radwan to the Al Mawasi zone in Khan Younis, said he would rather die in the ruins of his home than repeat his traumatic displacement.
“The experience of relocating to the south is something I will never repeat. What we lived through there was inhumane," he told The National.
He described leaving the north as “the biggest mistake” of his life. "Yes, the north is also suffering, famine is spreading and things get worse by the day, but at least I’m in my home. It's better to die here than be displaced again."
Yahya Shaheen, 29, who lives in Gaza city, described the Israeli threats as part of a psychological warfare campaign. “The occupation is not just relying on bombs and destruction, it’s using hunger and psychological pressure to manipulate civilians, intimidate them, and push them into fleeing again," he told The National.
He believes this strategy is designed to increase pressure on Palestinian factions and to create public demand for concessions. “From the very start of the war, Israel has used psychological tactics as a weapon. It wants to shake people’s morale and break their will.”
A Hamas statement said Israel had made a "clear decision to sacrifice Israeli captives and to repeat the same failed policies pursued over the past 18 months". It accused Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of committing war crimes against civilians with US connivance.
"This is our land, and we will remain on it, no matter how brutal the occupation becomes," the group said.
Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, meanwhile, said a victory in the war would mean that Gaza is "entirely destroyed". Civilians would be sent to a humanitarian zone and then "start to leave in great numbers", he said.
Diplomatic outrage
Several foreign governments expressed concern on Tuesday over Israel's latest moves.
France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the country "very strongly" condemns Israel's plans for a new military offensive. "It's unacceptable," he said in a radio interview in which he warned the Israeli government it was "in violation of humanitarian law".
China is "highly concerned about the current Palestine-Israel situation," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. "We oppose Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza, and hope all parties continuously and effectively implement the ceasefire agreement."
Qatar said it was still pursuing efforts for a new ceasefire after a truce collapsed in March. The Qatari Foreign Ministry remains in "continuous" contact with all parties, spokesman Majed Al Ansari said.
Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the UN's humanitarian affairs office, said Gazans had a "desperate need for food getting in" but were instead "getting bombs". He said the UN had flatly rejected Israel's proposal to deliver supplies at hubs overseen by the Israeli military.
The plan is being boycotted by the UN and other international NGOs who say they will not be complicit in military action. It would "not live up to the core fundamental humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality and independent delivery of aid," Mr Laerke said.
Aid must be given "based on needs and nothing else", he said as he warned of a "deliberate attempt to weaponise the aid. He added that the proposed system seemed "designed to further control and restrict supplies, which is the opposite of what is needed".
Defiance and desperation
As Gaza’s humanitarian conditions worsen and threats of a renewed offensive loom, residents remain trapped between defiance and desperation, clinging to what little remains of their homes, while preparing for the worst.
Mohsen Ghanem, 42,who returned to northern Gaza after his home was destroyed, expressed deep concern that Israel may carry out its plans. “The situation is terrifying. The occupation is brutal and might truly implement what it threatens," he said.
Although Mr Ghanem is committed to staying, he acknowledged that if another military assault begins, he would be forced to move south again with his family. He has seven children. The famine, he said, leaves people with little choice.
“Right now, we’re living through a severe famine. If aid is only distributed in Rafah in the future, then many of us will have no option but to go there. Hunger is swallowing us, and soon we won’t be able to feed our children.”
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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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
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
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
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 IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Dir: Guy Nattiv
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
