AL SHIFA HOSPITAL, Gaza City // Just before midday last Saturday, as schools were finishing for the day and Palestinians shopped in the crowded, if somewhat barren, markets in central Gaza City, Israeli F16s broke the sound barrier and unleashed a deadly payload of bombs on the coastal enclave.
At the Al Shifa Hospital, Dr Ahmad Kandeel, who heads the surgery department, was tidying up some paperwork as he prepared for the 2pm shift change.
"After six months of a ceasefire, it had been quiet for us," he recalled. "Because of the blockade, we were very low on medical supplies and equipment, power cuts had limited our ability to do surgery, but things were normal. But it had been a little quiet for months."
That shift change never came. For six straight days, Dr Kandeel joined his colleagues in struggling to treat the waves of casualties carried in on stretchers and in the arms of their grieving families, as Israeli air strikes pummelled the strip.
"The world exploded and turned to hell," said one Gaza resident, recounting how rockets, bombs and missiles landed amid various buildings and compounds related to the militant Islamic movement Hamas.
Since it was a working day in Gaza, hundreds of Hamas members - police officers, militants and political leaders - were going about their regular business as the dominant political faction after seizing power from Fatah in a bloody coup during the summer of 2007. It meant the Israeli military was able to exploit the militant group's transformation from underground insurgents to a public presence, by bombing ministries and other government buildings.
More than 150 people died in the first 10 minutes, most of them uniformed Hamas members associated with the police force. But even as most of the strikes found their targets, the crowded streets of schoolchildren, shoppers and commuters were torn by shrapnel from the dozens of explosions that seemed to come without warning. More than 50 strikes were reported in Gaza in that first hour. As the Hamas security compounds filled with bodies of fighters, the surrounding streets filled with the blood of hundreds of wounded civilians.
In Gaza City, there was only one place to take them: Al Shifa Hospital with its six operating theatres. Taxis, ambulances, military vehicles and even private cars came carrying the casualties, including women and children, some of whom had been crushed by bricks when their flimsily built houses collapsed in the force of explosions.
After a decade of saving lives with trauma medicine, Dr Kandeel realised there was no way his team could adequately handle even that first wave of injured.
"We immediately knew we would need more than six rooms for operations, so we began to force sick patients to leave and convert rooms," he said. "These places are not meant for surgery, but no hospital in the world was prepared for this situation. No one could have handled it."
Within five minutes, doctors later recalled, the lobby of the building was full of wounded, dead and dying. After 10 minutes, the pavement outside had been converted to a triage centre to determine which of the wounded should be treated first, with an emphasis on those who could be saved.
Dr Awad Abu Hassan, another surgeon, said there was mass confusion as medical staff tried to treat the injured even as they scanned the bloody faces for signs of their own families.
"We started to help and save as many people as we could and sometimes we took a very quick look at the injured and sent them to the operation room," he said.
"Sometimes we diagnosed them during the surgery to save their lives, but so many people had complex injuries in multiple places; the same person might have suffered from more than one wound in his body, many had compound fractures and burns. This forced us to do more than 10 operations at the same time on the same person by different specialists."
Within the hour, the entire car park was full of patients, the wounded directed to the right and the dead to the left. Bodies were lined up across the car park and left for families to identify.
Armed Hamas fighters, covered in dust and the blood of their comrades, dropped body after body on to the pile, or dragged their wounded as far into the hospital as they could.
Dr Doran al Hatto was at home, about to eat lunch before his shift started at 2pm, on the day Israel launched Operation Cast Lead. A cardiothoracic surgeon, he immediately sprinted to the hospital in anticipation of casualties. What he saw there stunned him.
"I arrived at the same time as the first wounded came, but I had passed car after car full of wounded and martyrs, so I knew what had happened," he said, while tending to patients on Thursday morning. "I didn't even make it inside the hospital for an hour. We had run out of beds even before most of the wounded arrived, so I just began operating on people as they lie on the ground outside. No medicine, no anaesthesia, just my scalpel and one pair of gloves. I couldn't think; I just kept cutting and hoping I didn't find a relative of mine on the ground."
As the doctors tried to keep pace with the steady stream of injured, families scoured the halls and the car park looking for their missing loved ones.
Mohammed Abdel Kareem, 23, a member of the Hamas police force, was killed on the first day. His family spent two days peering at the faces of the injured, and dead, at Al Shifa hoping and yet fearing they would find him.
It was only when his 18-year-old wife described a birthmark on his leg, that the family was able to identify part of a badly burnt torso and legs. They never found his head or arms.
As the days wore on and Israel showed no let up in its relentless bombing campaign, and with medical supplies - already inadequate due to the crippling blockade that has left the strip perilously short of basic necessities - running low, doctors began triage: deciding who should be treated, and who should be left to die.
But according to doctors, it was unrealistic for any hospital to handle almost 1,000 victims of severe trauma in the course of several hours with the supplies on hand. By yesterday afternoon, more than 420 people had been killed and 2,000 wounded across Gaza.
"No hospital has enough of these supplies to handle what we face," said Dr Hassan. "Even in America, they could not be ready for this."
Israel allowed lorry-loads of aid into the strip on Wednesday and Thursday, even as it stepped up its air strikes, and moved tanks and soldiers to the border in anticipation of a ground invasion.
But according to the hospital, the aid that Al Shifa has received so far - staples such as bandages, insulin and baby formula - are not needed to treat trauma patients.
"What we got from the international aid, we don't need them in this situation," Dr Hassan said. "There are some others things that are very important to us and we use them a lot such as pain killers, narcotics, antibiotics, surgical gloves, alcohol and disinfectant, saline solution, gauze, plasma, anaesthetic agents, plaster-cotton wraps, cut kits, chest tubes, and if we don't get all these things soon, we will suffer from overall deficit."
Tzipi Livni, Israel's foreign minister, who was campaigning for prime minister in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, said Israel puts no conditions on the type of medical supplies that enter Gaza.
"The Israeli military let the trucks pass the crossing and checks them for security, but not for the type of supplies on them," she said. "The contents are the responsibility of the aid groups sending them. We have nothing to do with it."
International aid organisations said they have requested appropriate supplies and are aware of the situation but that logistics and decisions by donors often are out of their control.
"Our stockpiles on hand were not intended for mass casualties," said one aid worker, who requested anonymity so as not to alienate donor nations. "No one anticipated this situation and we are at the mercy of what people actually send us. But no one has trauma supplies on hand to treat 1,700 wounded people in six days. Except maybe the Americans in Baghdad, but even them ? I just don't know."
While Israel claims its missile strikes target Hamas installations only, the reality on the ground tells a different story, with entire streets and compounds turned into rubble and ash.
For Dr Hassan, who has not been home since Saturday and whose wife and five children live near a security compound that has been repeatedly targeted, it is a constant reminder that no one is safe.
Al Shifa has already lost one doctor after he realised that he was treating his own family for grievous wounds.
"He can't work anymore," Dr Hassan said. "I am a father and live very close to one of the security places which has been attacked by planes while I am at work.
"I am very afraid about my family but because it is my duty to save souls, I continue my work. It is possible I may save one of my family."
* With additional reporting from Tsur Shezaf in Tel Aviv
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
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
Result
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,950m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Adam McLean, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,950m; Winner: Conclusion, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh100,000 1,400m; Winner: Pilgrim’s Treasure, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m; Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,000m; Winner: Midlander, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
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
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Sri Lanka v England
First Test, at Galle
England won by 211
Second Test, at Kandy
England won by 57 runs
Third Test, at Colombo
From Nov 23-27
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Company%20Profile
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
FIXTURES
Saturday, November 3
Japan v New Zealand
Wales v Scotland
England v South Africa
Ireland v Italy
Saturday, November 10
Italy v Georgia
Scotland v Fiji
England v New Zealand
Wales v Australia
Ireland v Argentina
France v South Africa
Saturday, November 17
Italy v Australia
Wales v Tonga
England v Japan
Scotland v South Africa
Ireland v New Zealand
Saturday, November 24
|Italy v New Zealand
Scotland v Argentina
England v Australia
Wales v South Africa
Ireland v United States
France v Fiji
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
And%20Just%20Like%20That...
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Various%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sarah%20Jessica%20Parker%2C%20Cynthia%20Nixon%2C%20Kristin%20Davis%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The specs: 2018 Bentley Bentayga V8
Price, base: Dh853,226
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 550hp @ 6,000pm
Torque: 770Nm @ 1,960rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L / 100km
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.
Company%C2%A0profile
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