Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin have told Israel that weapons shipments could be affected unless it addresses the “deteriorating humanitarian situation” in Gaza within 30 days.
The secretaries wrote to Israeli officials on Sunday to tell them that military assistance could be at risk due to the legal implications of giving such aid when international humanitarian law is being breached.
“We are writing now to underscore the US government's deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and seek urgent and sustained actions by your government this month to reverse this trajectory,” they wrote in a letter, first reported by Axios and Israel's N12 news channel.
US officials confirmed that Mr Austin and Mr Blinken had cosigned a letter to their Israeli counterparts.
“Secretary Blinken sent a similar letter in April, which received a constructive response and concrete measures from the Israelis. This letter follows a recent decrease in assistance reaching Gaza, which we aim to similarly address with concrete measures," a US defence official said.
Mr Blinken and Mr Austin cited Section 620i of the Foreign Assistance Act National Security Memorandum 20, which requires that parties receiving military assistance conduct themselves within international humanitarian law.
“To reverse the downward humanitarian trajectory and consistent with its assurances to us, Israel must, starting now and within 30 days, act on the following concrete measures,” they wrote before listing bullet points of improvements the US would need to see in Gaza.
Mr Blinken and Mr Austin said Israel would need to “surge all forms of humanitarian assistance” and “ensure that the commercial and Jordan Armed Forces corridors are functioning at full and continuous capacity”.
They also said Israel must “end isolation of northern Gaza”.
Israel has cut off the northern strip from the rest of Gaza with a siege blocking food, water, medication and aid since October 1, and ordering forced mass displacement of the people remaining there.
Three hospitals in the north are struggling to continue operations, the World Health Organisation reported. Palestinians have shared experiences of coming under violence when trying to flee, and health officials have reported dozens killed.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller reported that humanitarian aid entering Gaza has “fallen by over 50 per cent from where it was at its peak” and said the US would like to see changes before 30 days.
“This particular letter that we're talking about now follows a decrease in humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, which is obviously something we've been very, very concerned about since the beginning of the conflict,” White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said.
More than 43,300 people have been killed in the enclave during Israel's military operations, the Gaza Health Ministry said, after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year. More than 2 million people have been internally displaced.
The letter was addressed to Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. The Israeli Ministry of Defence declined to immediately comment on it.
The threat by President Joe Biden's administration is a rare move against its ally Israel, which it has stood by throughout its war amid a rising civilian death toll and risks of a wider Middle East conflict. It is estimated that the US has sent a record $17.9 billion of military aid to Israel, despite much global and domestic criticism.
Mr Kirby said that the letter was “not meant as a threat”, but was to “reiterate the sense of urgency we feel” about the necessity of humanitarian assistance.
The US has paused one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs over concerns of weapons used in densely populated civilian areas in May.
Mr Biden's administration in May issued a review that said it was “reasonable” Israel was violating international law, but deemed that “provision of defence articles” could continue as normal. Critics at the time condemned the report as “untruthful”.
Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN on Monday evening that “the leverage we have given [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has been used in a way that is most destructive”.
Jewish-American Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, who is on the House foreign affairs committee, on Monday responded to images of Palestinians burning alive after an Israeli strike in Gaza by saying Mr Netanyahu “clearly doesn't care about [US] concerns”.
“The only time he's ever changed behaviour is when we've exerted our leverage. It's time to do that now,” Ms Jacobs said.
Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli brigadier general, told The National that a halt in US weapons supplies would lead Israel to produce more of its own defence supplies.
“The long-term effect of this is that in Israel there is a growing understanding that we have to rely more on ourselves, and produce our own weapons … and this is happening. Israel is building factories at the moment,” Mr Avivi said.
On Tuesday, Israel tested new anti-drone technology at a field in the country's south, according to the ministry.
Mr Avivi said Israel would see Washington as an “unreliable ally” if it halted weapons supplies: “I don't think it would be a smart move by the US and it's sending a bad message to their allies.”
The US last week told the UN Security Council that Israel must address “catastrophic conditions” that Palestinian civilians are experiencing in the besieged Gaza Strip, in another rare moment of American pressure on Israel to stop “intensifying suffering”.
Thomas Watkins, Jihan Abdalla, Ellie Sennett in Washington, and Lizzie Porter in Jerusalem contributed reporting
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
Draw
Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)
RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)
Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
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
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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
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
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
