GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories // Shops and markets reopened, fishing boats put out to sea and Gaza’s 1.8 million population breathed a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday after a permanent truce ended 50 days of war.
For the most part, there was a sense of hope on the streets after the surprise ceasefire came into force on Tuesday afternoon, ending seven weeks of violence which killed more than 2,140 in Gaza and 70 on the Israeli side.
“Victory is ours,” said Ehab Abu Jalal, a man in his 30s.
“We have had enough of war, no one should have to endure everything we’ve been through because of the war,” he said. “This truce has to last.”
Under terms of the deal, Israel has pledged to ease restrictions at its two border crossings with Gaza in a move which a Palestinian official equated with a lifting of Israel’s eight-year blockade.
Although talks on crunch issues such as Hamas’s demand for a port and an airport in Gaza were delayed for fresh talks in Cairo within the next month, just the mention of them was reason enough for optimism.
“We are going to have a port and an airport, the crossings will be opened, the blockade will be lifted and we will be able to live in dignity!” Abu Jalal boasted.
For the moment, he is supporting his family as well as his four brothers – all of whom are unemployed construction workers – on what he earns as a metalworker.
Israel first imposed a blockade on the impoverished Gaza Strip in 2006 after militants there captured a soldier.
It tightened the measure a year later after Hamas seized power, imposing tight restrictions on incoming goods, most crucially barring the import of key construction materials on grounds they could be used by militants to build fortifications.
For Abu Jalal, lifting the blockade would mean an influx of new materials – and more work – for him, and a chance for his brothers to start working again.
The truce agreement also included an expansion of the fishing zone to six nautical miles in a measure which went into force before dawn on Wednesday.
“It’s basically the limit that we were used to before the war, so for the moment we haven’t actually gained anything,” said Nizar Ayash from the Gaza fishermen’s union.
“During the war, when a fisherman went in to the sea, even just 100 metres, the Israelis would fire at him,” he said.
Today, the fact they can go out at all means they can get back to earning enough to be able to feed their families.
Although the agreement speaks of a gradual expansion of the fishing limit to 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometres), it is still far from the 20 miles (32.2km) written into the 1994 Oslo Peace Accords, which has been drastically reduced by Israel.
“Palestinian fishermen demand their right to fish up to 20 miles from the coast,” Mr Ayash said, adding that what they really wanted was for Israel to “stop controlling all of our movement”.
Fellow fisherman Abu Ahmed is not at all optimistic.
“For the moment, nothing has changed on the ground and we are used to the enemy breaking all of its promises,” he said.
“With all the sacrifices we have made, we must be able to fish further out than six miles,” he said.
And sacrifice they have. During 50 days of violence, at least 2,140 Palestinians have been killed, more than 11,000 have been wounded and more than half a million displaced, while hundreds of houses have been completely destroyed.
Jawad Ayad returned to his home on Wednesday after being away for 38 days.
Although it was partially destroyed, he said Gaza’s “patience” had paid off in the end.
“We have been through difficult days and made a lot of sacrifices, but God has granted us victory,” said Mr Ayad, a man in his 50s.
“I hope that this war will be the last.”
* Agence France-Presse
Company%20Profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
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Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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