Israeli tanks and bombs hit residential districts in Gaza city overnight into Wednesday, killing dozens of Palestinians, as Hamas was considering its response to US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.
At least 23 people, including 19 in Gaza city, were killed in Israeli strikes and artillery fire across the Gaza Strip since midnight on Wednesday, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
More than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and 168,500 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 2023. The Israeli army began its offensive after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel and killed 1,200 people, taking 251 hostage.
Mr Trump unveiled his comprehensive Gaza peace plan on Monday during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House. The US leader said the 20-point proposal could “bring an end to the death and destruction that we've seen for so many years, decades, even centuries”.
As soon as the plan is accepted by Israel and Hamas, the war will end, hostages will be released within 72 hours and humanitarian aid will be allowed into the besieged strip, the White House said.
The proposal also sets longer-term goals for the future of Gaza and Hamas. It stipulates that the group can have no role “in any form” of governance in Gaza and all its military infrastructure would be decommissioned or destroyed. The strip would be governed by a transitional, technocratic committee consisting of Palestinian and international experts. Oversight and supervision of the governing body would be conducted by an international transitional body chaired by Mr Trump, with other members including British former prime minister Tony Blair.
The plan also includes a “Trump economic development plan” to rebuild the enclave.
Mr Trump has said he is giving Hamas “three to four days” to respond to his peace plan, or he would allow Israel “to do what they have to do”.
Sources close to mediators told The National that Hamas is unlikely to reject the US plan as it finds itself in a difficult position after several Arab countries, including Qatar and Egypt, endorsed the peace proposal.
While Mr Netanyahu has already accepted the road map, the Israeli army is pressing ahead with its offensive on Gaza city.
On Saturday, Gaza authorities accused the Israeli army of killing about 2,000 people in areas it had designated as safe and “humanitarian” after forcing them to leave Gaza city.
The Gaza media office said the army had misled people by claiming central and southern areas, including Al Mawasi, were safe – while continuing to strike there.
Gaza residents have cautiously embraced the peace plan, although many are divided over some of its provisions. After almost two years of fierce conflict, many see the proposal as the only viable path to end the bloodshed, but also fear the risk of increased foreign influence over their lives.
Ameen Al Ghazi, 45, a father of four currently displaced near Gaza Port, voiced weary optimism about the proposal.
“Trump’s plan, for us in Gaza, is seen as a perfect opportunity to end the war,” he told The National. “Of course, it’s not everything we want, but at least the plan would stop the war and rid us of Hamas’s rule.
“All we want now is for the war to end, nothing more.”
A flotilla bound for Gaza with aid for the war-battered Palestinian territory said on Wednesday it would continue its course despite “intimidation tactics” by the Israeli army. The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 people, among them parliamentarians, lawyers and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
A video post on the flotilla's Instagram page said that an Israeli military vessel approached its boats, carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” and damaging its communication systems before departing.
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
GRAN%20TURISMO
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Neill%20Blomkamp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Harbour%2C%20Orlando%20Bloom%2C%20Archie%20Madekwe%2C%20Darren%20Barnet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Final: UAE beat Qatar by nine wickets
Third-place play-off: Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by five runs
Table
1 UAE 5 5 0 10
2 Qatar 5 4 1 8
3 Saudi 5 3 2 6
4 Kuwait 5 2 3 4
5 Bahrain 5 1 4 2
6 Maldives 5 0 5 0
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
