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A month after the Israel-Gaza war began, the death toll has surpassed all of Israel’s previous conflicts with Hamas since the Palestinian group took control of Gaza in 2007.
Days before the Hamas atrocities on October 7, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan suggested the Middle East region had reached a “quieter” era.
Saudi Arabia had indicated the possibility of establishing diplomatic ties with Israel, along the lines of the Abraham Accords that have created an atmosphere of peaceful co-operation with some Arab countries.
As the Palestinian death toll passed 10,000 on Monday, a month into the war, the Middle East, and indeed the world, has become a much-changed place, with the conflict’s impact on global events as significant as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
But in Israel the threat of contagion is arguably far higher, with US aircraft carriers on station, amid Iran-sponsored Hezbollah attacks and rumbling of discontent across the region over the treatment of Palestinians.
Charlotte Leslie, director of the Conservative Middle East Council, said Hamas’s actions had also severely affected the relationship between the Middle East region and the West.
“People in the Arab world are very angry as they see the West upholding international rule of law very partially, without consistency,” she said.
Hamas's achievement
That stirring resentment is precisely what Hamas commanders were aiming for when, at 6.30am on October 7, they unleashed their fighters on Israeli settlements.
The ensuing atrocities have been well-documented, from the slaughter of entire families including children to the overrunning of Israeli outposts and the capture of about 240 hostages.
The 3,000 extremists sent into Israel were clearly well-trained and disciplined, and Hamas displayed a high level of military skill in using drones to knock out border surveillance and paragliders for an airborne assault along with motorbikes, speedboats and bulldozers.
The Israelis were taken by complete surprise and it was a difficult battle beating back Hamas, with 335 of its own soldiers killed.
Hamas had demonstrated it was a capable military force, said Sam Cranny-Evans, a military analyst at the Rusi think tank.
“From a purely military standpoint, Hamas has been professionalised to some degree, getting to grips with what it means to face the Israel Defence Forces and do that in a professional sense,” he said.
But beyond that the conflict had also galvanised resistance against the West in the Middle East with increased attacks on US bases in Iraq.
“That those organisations feel bold enough to step up those attacks says something about the way the West is perceived in the Middle East,” said Mr Cranny-Evans.
Day two
If Hamas’s plan had been to blind Israel with anger in its response to the rampage, it unquestionably succeeded.
By the second day of the war more 421 Palestinians had been killed, with thousands more dying in the coming weeks as Israel dropped 6,000 bombs on Gaza within the first seven days.
Israel also announced it would cut off all food, water and electricity supplies to Gaza and told 1.1 million to evacuate the north of the strip on October 11.
Very quickly international sympathy for the appalling suffering Israel had experienced ebbed away.
When an estimated 500 Palestinians were killed after the Al Ahli Arab Hospital was struck by a missile on October 17, many in the region readily believed this was an Israeli strike rather than the more likely explanation of a misfire by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket.
“Every time a Hamas asset is taken out, because of the civilian death toll you are radicalising 100 more people,” said Ms Leslie, a former Conservative MP.
Western ebb
If the Hamas attack damaged Israel’s military, intelligence and political standing, it has also seriously undermined that of the US and other western powers.
In the immediate aftermath US President Joe Biden quickly gave unqualified support to Israel, as did Britain and others, probably cementing Israel’s desire to lash out in retaliation.
“It's very hard to know how to respond to an atrocity like that [October 7] but the West certainly has been very blank cheque to any actions that Israel takes,” said Ms Leslie.
“The West is now going to find it very difficult to play any kind of constructive brokering role, because they're not going to be trusted by the other side. They're now seen as a proxy for Israel, which means that the West's ability to have influence is diminished.”
A major motive for Hamas’s attack was to prevent the likely instalment of diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia that might have pushed the militants into political isolation.
In that, it succeeded by driving a wedge between the two countries, as well as making Saudi Arabia’s relations with the West more difficult, just as President Biden was rebuilding his relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
But it has also created a space for Russia and China to become potential brokers for the two-state solution. That position was previously occupied by Britain but its unequivocal support for Israel has made it appear one-sided, according to analysts, and not as trusted by Palestinians.
It also appears that Hezbollah may well be heading towards greater involvement in the war, which given its military strength, reinforced by its substantial Iran-controlled rocket arsenal, would be a significant escalation.
Who will win?
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and Hamas’s driving ambition is to destroy Israel.
This nihilism is unlikely to be resolved for some time, as they come to mortal blows.
The war could last for many weeks, months or indeed more than a year, potentially ending with a ceasefire and no winner.
In the past four weeks Israel has levelled much of northern Gaza and killed many hundreds of Hamas fighters.
With Gaza city now encircled, Israel will either strike the spider’s web of tunnels and fight street-by-street with the goal of eliminating Hamas’s leadership. The Israeli military is unlikely to stop before it is able to claim a form of victory.
“This has the potential to burn on for quite a long time and if that happens the ability for either side to claim some sort of definitive success diminishes quite significantly,” said Mr Cranny-Evans.
Ms Leslie, who as CMEC’s boss is well-connected to Middle East diplomats, said any resolution to the conflict depended on political discussions within the Israeli government.
She also suggested Saudi Arabia had “got itself into a very good position to begin to broker a day-after-tomorrow solution” but a resolution was difficult with the pictures from Gaza “clouding an awful lot of constructive discussion in the region”.
“There's a brutal catharsis that a political solution is needed, that you can't sweep the Palestinian question under the carpet, otherwise it explodes,” she added. “Perhaps this will be the traumatic event that draws us all together and say, as we always do, ‘never again’.”
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3
Danilo (16'), Bernardo Silva (34'), Fernandinho (72')
Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Ulloa (20')
LAST 16
SEEDS
Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Valencia, Juventus
PLUS
Real Madrid, Tottenham, Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, Chelsea
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
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MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight Championship AJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
John Cena v Triple H
Matches to be announced
WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended
Sukuk
An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
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Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
'Morbius'
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Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
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Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
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Profile
Our family matters legal consultant
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The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
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A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
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Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
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McIlroy's struggles in 2016/17
European Tour: 6 events, 16 rounds, 5 cuts, 0 wins, 3 top-10s, 4 top-25s, 72,5567 points, ranked 16th
PGA Tour: 8 events, 26 rounds, 6 cuts, 0 wins, 4 top-10s, 5 top-25s, 526 points, ranked 71st
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Favourite book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Favourite music: Classical
Hobbies: Reading and writing
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
