Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Hamas has rejected a US proposal for a Gaza truce and release of hostages, insisting it would only agree to a comprehensive deal that includes a full Israeli withdrawal and an end to the war, sources said.
They told The National on Saturday that Israel and the US, its closest ally and benefactor, are determined that Hamas puts down its arms, its leaders leave Gaza and for the group's network of tunnels to be destroyed.
They said the Trump administration and Israel, meanwhile, are quietly working towards the resettlement of Gaza's Palestinians, or at least the vast majority of them, away from the territory.
“Israel is insisting on pursuing the voluntary or forcible eviction of Palestinians in Gaza,” said one of the sources. “The Trump administration is fully supportive of Israel on the issue and is doing a great deal of quietly pressuring regional stakeholders to go along.”
Israel has enthusiastically embraced proposals first made by Mr Trump in January to resettle Gaza's Palestinians, mainly in Egypt and Jordan, before effecting a US takeover of the territory on the Mediterranean and turning it into a beach resort.
Egypt and Jordan, along with the UN and many countries, have denounced the proposals, with some labelling the plan as “ethnic cleansing”.
Hamas's rejection of the latest US proposal was conveyed this week by a senior official from the group to Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo, said the sources
News of the US proposal surfaced this week, with sources saying it called for a 21-day truce in Gaza and the initial release of six living hostages, including a dual US-Israeli national, as well as the remains of six more who died while in captivity in the enclave.
In return, Israel would free an as-yet unspecified number of Palestinians detained in its prisons and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, they added.
Hamas is believed to be still holding 59 hostages, of whom 24 are believed to be alive, according to the Israeli military.
The US proposal, however, makes no mention of an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza or a permanent ceasefire; two long-standing demands by Hamas. It also does not include ideas on how postwar Gaza will be run or rebuilt, according to the sources.
Gaza has since the 19-month-old war started seen two ceasefires; one in late November 2023 that lasted a week and another that went into effect on January 19, 2025, and ended on March 1. Gaza remained relatively calm until March 18, when Israel resumed air strikes and ground operations.
Under the latest US proposal, the humanitarian assistance that will flow into Gaza would only be distributed at Israeli-designated “safe zones” in the southern part of the coastal enclave around the city of Rafah, said the sources.
Gaza's estimated 2.3 million residents are facing acute shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel as a result of Israel's two-month blockade of the territory, where more than 52,000 Palestinians have died since Israel launched a ground and air offensive there in October 2023 in response to a deadly attack by Hamas on southern Israeli communities.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet voted this week to intensify the offensive against Hamas in Gaza to the point of seizing the entire enclave, according to Israeli officials.
The sources said the newly approved Gaza offensive plan would move the strip's civilian population southward and keep humanitarian aid from falling into the hands of Hamas.
International aid agencies warned on Friday that plans presented by Israel to control aid distribution in Gaza will only increase suffering and death in the devastated Palestinian territory.
“Humanitarian aid should never be used as a bargaining chip,” Unicef spokesman James Elder said in Geneva.
The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said a new system for delivering humanitarian aid and food to Gaza was being launched, with deliveries set to begin “very soon”.
A new US-backed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has put forward an aid distribution plan along the lines of Israel's demands, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. The group is made up of American security contractors, former government officials, ex-military officers and humanitarian officials.
Mr Elder said that the plan as presented to the aid community appeared “designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic”. He said that it does not comply with Israel’s obligations to allow and facilitate impartial humanitarian relief.
He said that the plan would entrench forced displacement “for political and military purposes”, as Palestinians will be forced to move to be closer to distribution centres.
“More children are likely to suffer and risk death and injury as a consequence of this plan,” Mr Elder said. “There is a simple alternative. Lift the blockade, let humanitarian aid in, save lives.”
With additional reporting by The Associated Press
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
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1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything
Director: Asif Kapadia
4/5
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
AWARDS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBest%20Male%20black%20belt%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELucas%20Protasio%20(BRA)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBest%20female%20black%20belt%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJulia%20Alves%20(BRA)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBest%20Masters%20black%20belt%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Igor%20Silva%20(BRA)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBest%20Asian%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Federation%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kazakhstan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBest%20Academy%20in%20UAE%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECommando%20Group%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBest%20International%20Academy%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Commando%20Group%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAfrican%20Player%20of%20the%20Year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKatiuscia%20Yasmira%20Dias%20(GNB)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOceanian%20Player%20of%20the%20Year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAnton%20Minenko%20(AUS)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEuropean%20Player%20of%20the%20Year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rose%20El%20Sharouni%20(NED)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENorth%20and%20Central%20American%20Player%20of%20the%20Year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlexa%20Yanes%20(USA)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAsian%20Player%20of%20the%20Year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EZayed%20Al%20Katheeri%20(UAE)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERookie%20of%20the%20Year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rui%20Neto%20(BRA)Rui%20Neto%20(BRA)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
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
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
