Responding to Israeli forces’ Saturday rescue of four hostages held in Gaza, the country’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said his troops were “performing in the most valiant and moral way to end this war with a victory against these killers and against these kidnappers, and we shall prevail”. And yet, few can argue that the killing of tens of civilians in one operation is "valiant" or "moral". For a political leader in dire need of a win after months of unrestrained war, overseeing a divided Cabinet and facing international condemnation, this operation – which has come at the cost of so many Palestinian lives – may not be the victory it appears to be at first glance.
Although no one should dismiss the trauma experienced by Israeli families whose loved ones were abducted by Hamas militants on October 7, the number of deaths that took place on the same day as the rescue are startling, even by the brutal standards set by this war. More than 200 Palestinians, many of them women and children, were killed in Israeli attacks in central Gaza, the enclave’s Health Ministry said. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israel bombed Nuseirat refugee camp, the area around Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al Balah, Al Moghazi Camp, Al Zawayda and Buriej camp.
Israel’s operation in Nuseirat camp, something that the army said involved weeks of planning and hundreds of troops, is the largest since the war began on October 7. It brings the total number of hostages rescued to seven but a more successful strategy to secure the release of kidnapped Israeli civilians has involved mediation and negotiations; in November, 105 hostages were freed in exchange for more than 200 Palestinian prisoners and a seven-day ceasefire. If Israel’s leadership thinks that overwhelming firepower instead of painstaking talks is the key to “victory”, then the morale boost offered by the return of these four hostages will be fleeting.
Instead, there is the possibility that pressure from the Israeli public for the similarly forcible retrieval of the country’s remaining hostages will grow. More rescue operations that incur mass casualties among Gaza’s civilians, and potentially Israeli hostages, will further stoke Palestinian anger, fuel outrage around the world and accumulate more material for ongoing international investigations and court cases. This is nothing to say of the danger that Israel’s war in Gaza already poses to the hostages, three of whom were killed in December by Israeli troops in an incident that shocked the country.
Hamas and other Palestinian factions also have questions to answer. Holding on to civilian hostages – who should never have been abducted in the first place – is not only a war crime, it also gives Israel the continuing excuse to turn Gaza into a free-fire zone, the brunt of which is felt by Palestinian non-combatants. If the remaining hostages are freed with this level of force, it will further expose the moral and strategic dead end of such tactics.
Instead, a real victory for Israelis and Palestinians alike would be an immediate ceasefire that would help keep the hostages alive, allow much-needed aid to enter Gaza and pave the way for a mediation process that could also secure the release of Palestinian detainees currently being held in Israel. As frustrating and tortuous as those talks would be, they are preferable to the kind of operation that reunited four families but left a trail of destruction and grief in its wake.
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
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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
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
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Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
