In the aftermath of Israeli attacks on Gaza, amid the sirens of rescue vehicles, choking dust and the cries of the trapped and wounded, Noah Al Shaghnoubi is a familiar figure.
A paramedic with the Palestinian Civil Defence, Mr Al Shaghnoubi, 24, has become known for risking his life to pull survivors from the debris left by air strikes and shelling, refusing to leave anyone behind.
He was injured on Monday when the Israeli military carried out a repeat strike on a home in Al Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza city as he was helping survivors of the initial attack.
“I’ve been wounded several times since this war began,” he tells The National. “But each time I get back on my feet, for the sake of the people, for the sake of humanity.”
Mr Al Shaghnoubi was a footballer and gymnast before the war began in October 2023. His strength, agility and endurance, once honed for competition, now enable him to access spaces other rescuers cannot reach, to carry bodies others cannot lift and to withstand the crushing physical demands of his work.
He says the hundreds of rescue missions he has carried out have left him with memories he cannot erase: a child’s last breath, a mother’s scream, bitter moments when equipment failed or time ran out. “Every operation is a story,” he says. “Some will live in my mind forever, no matter what happens.”
He also has turned to social media to show the world Gaza’s plight under an unrelenting Israeli onslaught. His raw, unfiltered videos, captured during explosions, chaos and grief, have reached millions and drawn hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram.
“Over time, my followers became like family,” he says. "They ask about Gaza, they check on me, and I tell them what I see from the heart of the massacre."
He kept filming even when he was targeted on Monday, determined to show that not even rescuers are spared in Gaza.
Mr Al Shaghnoubi says the Civil Defence struggles with a lack of proper equipment, medical supplies and personnel, which costs lives. “Some people we reached at the very last moment. Others … we lost. Each loss is another wound you carry forever.”
One mission in particular has seared itself into his soul, he says. In April this year, Israel attacked the Dar Al Arqam school sheltering displaced families in Gaza city. The Civil Defence team arrived as the Israeli military was warning of a second attack. Trapped beneath the rubble was a young man, Yousef Hassouna.
“I tried everything to save him, but without proper equipment, time was running out. I cried as I worked, cried from fear, pain and determination. In the end, I pulled him out alive, even as the threats continued.” That rescue was captured by video footage that spread worldwide, carrying Gaza’s cry for help far beyond its borders.
On many missions, Mr Al Shaghnoubi was the only rescuer on the scene, working alone for five or six hours at a stretch. He has buried colleagues, saying farewell “with blood and tears”, and he presses on despite the constant targeting of rescue teams.
“We work with nothing,” he says. “We create something out of nothing, because if we stop humanity here will die.”
On Tuesday, the Civil Defence announced that another of its members had been killed – in an Israeli attack on a family’s tent in Al Mawasi that also killed his parents – taking the death toll among its ranks to 137.
Despite the Israeli bombardment and blockade on aid that has caused severe levels of hunger, Mr Al Shaghnoubi refuses to leave northern Gaza.
“I just want this war to end,” he says. “I want Gaza rebuilt. I want peace to return, for life to return. For now, I have no personal ambitions, everything is on hold because of the genocide.”
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Company%20profile
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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
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
