Palestinian children sit on the ground with cooked meals they received at a distribution point in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian children sit on the ground with cooked meals they received at a distribution point in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian children sit on the ground with cooked meals they received at a distribution point in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian children sit on the ground with cooked meals they received at a distribution point in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip. AFP

British relatives say Israeli aid is death trap for Gazans


Lemma Shehadi
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

British Palestinians have described the challenges that their families in Gaza are going through to get food as part of a plea for tougher action by the UK government on Israel.

Wafaa Shamallakh, who works as a medical interpreter in London, described how her sister Maysa in Gaza, spent hours yesterday waiting for her husband and son to return from an aid distribution point on the Netzarim border.

Maysa’s husband and son Joud, 15, walked for more than an hour to reach the aid distribution point, but were forced to turn back owing to the chaos they found there.

“Thousands of people were there, coming from the north and the south of Gaza, desperate to find a bag of flour, a little sugar, maybe some pasta. It was chaos. A quadcopter flew overhead shooting at crowds,” she said.

Fire and smoke bombs made it difficult for them to see. Her cousin Khaled was injured. The pair returned empty-handed that day.

“My twin nieces, Dima and Rima cried when they saw their father return with nothing. But my sister Maysa was relieved, because at least they came back alive,” she said.

“This is what it means to survive in Gaza. This is their daily life, fetching food has become a battle of survival,” she said.

The family were living in tents, with “no insulation, no water, no electricity”, where they cook over fires from wood collected from the rubble.

“My sister spends hours just trying to find enough work to earn a piece of bread.”

The family may have two meals on a “lucky” days, having lentil soup for breakfast, or sharing a piece of bread in the evening. Often they “go hungry so their children can eat”.

Wafaa Shamallakh is a British Palestinian medical interpreter based in London. Lemma Shehadi / The National
Wafaa Shamallakh is a British Palestinian medical interpreter based in London. Lemma Shehadi / The National

Israel has imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip since March.

A US and Israeli attempt to introduce their own aid distribution mechanism through US security contractor the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation last week has backfired.

The GHF closed its distribution centres on Wednesday after several deadly shooting incidents killed scores of Palestinians and drew sharp UN condemnation.

It then delayed the reopening of its aid sites on Thursday, without clarifying when they would resume service, as starvation looms in the war-ravaged enclave.

People were journeying for days from different parts of Gaza to get access to food the distribution points in Rafah – but were forced to turn back owing to the scenes of chaos when they arrived.

Bassem Farajallah, a British Palestinian, described how his nephew Nour travelled from Gaza city to Nusayra, from which he was then forced to walk to Rafah owing to an Israeli prohibition of vehicles there.

On arrival, he found “nothing, only danger and gunfire”. “In the end, he managed to buy a small amount of flour for nearly 100 dollars,” he said. He was gone for three days, and Mr Farajallah described the huge emotional toll on his sister, Nour’s mother, as she waited for him to return.

The family has not seen meat or chicken in more than a year, and his sister a diabetic with high blood pressure, survives on bread that is stretched with salt and pasta.

Mr Bassem Farajallah, UK Gaza Community. British Palestinian Committee
Mr Bassem Farajallah, UK Gaza Community. British Palestinian Committee

UK urged to take action

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer changed his tone on Gaza this week, describing the humanitarian crisis as “intolerable” during a press conference in Scotland.

Reiterating his comments in Parliament, he said on Wednesday: “We will keep looking at further action along with our allies, including sanctions, but let me be absolutely clear: we need to get back to a ceasefire.”

Though he met British Palestinians in October last year, there was a prevailing sense from the community that they were being ignored.

“I want them to look genuinely at us, to sit with us and listen and consider our demands. Listen to that community, which has families back in Gaza,” Mr Farajallah told The National.

British Palestinians speak about the plight of their loved ones at a London press conference. Lemma Shehadi / The National
British Palestinians speak about the plight of their loved ones at a London press conference. Lemma Shehadi / The National

Ms Shamallakh said she felt let down by the British government’s response to the conflict, which until recently supported Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The new Labour government said it would be guided by international law in its response to the conflict.

Last month, it suspended new trade talks with Israel, imposed a new round of sanctions of Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, and summoned the Israeli ambassador to the UK.

But those measures were undermined by the UK Trade envoy’s visit to Israel the following week.

Ms Shamallakh called on the UK government to impose a full embargo, political and economic sanctions, and assert “real pressure to bring an end to the genocide” and ensure unhindered humanitarian aid access.

“Let this be a turning point where Britain stops whispering about international law and starts upholding it, because the people of Gaza are not waiting for your sympathy, they are demanding your courage,” she said.

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What are the regulations?
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WHAT ARE NFTs?

     

 

    

 

   

 

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.

 

An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.

 

This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.

 
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Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

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Director: Jesse Armstrong

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Key facilities
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Based: New York, New York

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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. 

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When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi

  

 

 

 

Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.

 
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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

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
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Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Updated: June 05, 2025, 4:11 PM`