Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Five more Gazans were killed on Sunday by Israeli gunfire near centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, official Palestinian media reported, as the aid group reopened several distribution points.
In Rafah, four people were killed and 70 others wounded by Israeli army fire near an aid centre west of the southern city, the Wafa news agency said. In central Gaza, one person was killed and others hurt near a distribution centre at the so-called Netzarim Corridor.
Israel's military said it fired warning shots at suspects advancing towards its forces. It said shooting took place in an area of southern Gaza considered an active combat zone at night.
The aid foundation said it reopened several distribution centres in the territory on Sunday, after blaming Hamas for the closure of its operations the previous day.
The controversial US and Israel-backed group began work about two weeks ago after Israel eased an aid blockade on Gaza. Its operations, which bypass traditional humanitarian groups, have been condemned by the UN and established charities, who say they place Gazans in danger.
The group says its work aims to bypass Hamas, which it accuses of stealing aid, but its distribution points have been blighted by violence, with the Israeli army accused of firing on civilians near the centres.
The foundation said on Sunday on Facebook that it had opened a distribution point in the Gaza Valley, before later posting that the site had closed after completing its work. Later in the day, it said another two centres would open at noon in the Tal Sultan area, also known as the Swedish Village, and the Saudi neighbourhood.
On Saturday, Gaza's civil defence agency said six people were killed in another shooting near an aid distribution centre in Rafah. The Israeli military said its troops fired warning shots at people it said were “advancing in a way that endangered the troops”. Dozens of others have been killed in recent days around the Rafah site.
The foundation on Saturday accused Hamas of making “direct threats” that “made it impossible” to operate in Gaza without endangering lives.
“Hamas is seeking to return to a broken regime it previously controlled and exploited – by diverting aid routes, manipulating distribution processes, and presenting its own agenda on the basic needs of the people of Gaza,” it said on Facebook.
Gaza's government media office said the foundation's operations have “utterly failed on all levels” and that Hamas was ready to help secure aid deliveries by the UN.
Little is known about the foundation. Other aid groups have said its operations endanger civilians by delivering food through narrow, militarised corridors. Israel has described its methods as a way of circumventing Hamas, which Israel accuses of pilfering aid.
Israel has faced mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the UN has warned the entire population faces famine. Israel imposed an aid blockade on the besieged enclave on March 2 and has only relaxed it in recent days.
Twenty months into the war, negotiations over a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked. A brief truce collapsed in March and Israel has since intensified operations to “destroy” the Palestinian group.
The Israeli army on Saturday said its military operations in Gaza city resulted in the killing of Asaad Abu Sharia, who was reportedly head of the Mujahideen Brigades. The armed group is close to Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, which Israel has accused of being responsible for the deaths of hostages seized from kibbutz Nir Oz near the Gaza-Israel border on October 7, 2023.
The Israeli army said Mr Abu Sharia was “directly implicated” in the killings of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, a young family who became a symbol of Israel's hostage crisis.
Hamas on Saturday released a photograph of one of its remaining hostages, Matan Zangauker, appearing to be in poor health, along with a warning that he would not survive. His mother, Einav Zangauker, speaking at a protest in Tel Aviv, said “I can no longer bear this nightmare”.
Meanwhile, an aid boat with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, is nearing Gaza in an effort to highlight the plight of its residents.
The Madleen, organised by an international coalition, is sailing with the aim of breaching Israel's naval blockade on the enclave and delivering aid, organisers said. They are expected to reach Gaza by Monday.
In 2010 a commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a similar attempt to breach an Israeli naval blockade, left 10 civilians dead.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
RESULT
Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)
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LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
BMW M5 specs
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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
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Levante v Getafe (5pm), Sevilla v Real Madrid (7.15pm), Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (9.30pm), Cadiz v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday Granada v Huesca (5pm), Osasuna v Real Betis (7.15pm), Villarreal v Elche (9.30pm), Alaves v Real Sociedad (midnight)
Monday Eibar v Valencia (midnight)
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
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
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
