Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Climate activist Greta Thunberg, Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham and a French politician barred from entering Israel are setting sail from Italy on Sunday as part of a “Freedom Flotilla", with the goal of reaching Gaza to deliver humanitarian supplies and protest against the war.
The organisation, which has been sending vessels to Gaza for more than a decade, has faced Israeli military retaliation throughout its existence. In April, one of its ships was hit by armed drones, with organisers blaming Israel, although no one has yet claimed the attack.
In 2010, Israeli forces killed 10 Turkish activists belonging to the group on the Mavi Marmara after a naval interception near the coast of Gaza. Ten Israeli troops were wounded in the attack.
The latest vessel is setting sail from Sicily in a “small but mighty yacht” called Madleen, named in 2014 after Gaza’s only fisherwoman, the organisation’s website said. It says the flotilla is "carrying a cargo of hope and humanitarian aid".
Speaking on the deck as the vessel prepared to set sail, Ms Thunberg said the mission was “about the Palestinians who are being systematically starved and ethnically cleansed" by Israel.
“The real news story today is not that we are setting sail towards Gaza. It is the fact that we have to be here,” she added.
“It falls on us to be the adults in the room … we have to keep our promise to the Palestinians to do everything in our power to protest the genocide and to try to open up the humanitarian corridor and break the siege.
“No matter what the odds are against us we have to keep trying, because the moment we stop trying we lose our humanity. No matter how dangerous this mission is it is nowhere near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world.”
French politician Rima Hassan said on Friday the latest voyage was to “condemn the humanitarian blockade and continuing genocide, the impunity granted to the state of Israel and raise international awareness”.
Ms Hassan, a member of left-wing party France Unbowed, was due to visit the occupied Palestinian territories in February with a European Parliament delegation, but said she was refused entry to Israel.
Aid has begun trickling back into Gaza in recent days, but humanitarian groups warn the war-ravaged enclave is facing mass starvation. The White House said on Thursday that Israel had "signed off" on a new US ceasefire proposal, but Hamas said it could not accept the deal.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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."
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
