Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Dozens of UK charities have urged MPs to support a ceasefire in Gaza, before a motion in parliament on Wednesday.
The motion tabled by the Scottish National Party is its second to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
It comes as the Israeli military is threatening to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, the last place of refuge in Gaza where more than half of its 2.3 million population is sheltering.
Amnesty International, Save the Children and Care International are among the 55 organisations to have signed an open letter calling on MPs to support the motion.
“We, along with 71 per cent of the UK public, urge you to support the motion for an immediate and permanent ceasefire to benefit everyone in Israel and Palestine,” the letter said.
The immediate ceasefire was needed to enable “the provision of adequate humanitarian assistance, and the release of hostages, and curtail the risk of regional conflict amid multiple strikes in several countries", it said.
Two British-Jewish organisations, including the Jewish Network for Palestinians, which is supported by Israeli historians Avi Shlaim and Ilan Pappe, and the campaign group Na’amod, are among its signatories.
The death toll and destruction in Gaza was “unfathomable”, the letter said, with almost 30,000 people killed and 11,500 of them children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.
Latest from the Israel-Gaza war - in pictures
Many of the signatories, including Action Against Hunger, have teams operating in Gaza and the West Bank, and receive first-hand accounts from their staff of the situation there.
Palestinians in Gaza are living in dire conditions, with children at risk of starvation and surgeons operating without anaesthetic, the letter said, telling MPs they “cannot afford to delay any longer".
The letter warned that the humanitarian crisis was “likely to surpass even the horrors we have seen over the last four months".
The UK government must hold Israel accountable for events in Gaza and the West Bank, the letter said.
“Private diplomacy and cautious statements are not enough. Stronger action and accountability needs to be applied,” it said.
The UK government has previously called for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza, adding that this can only be achieved when Hamas no longer controls the territory and the hostages are released.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron has also pressed for immediate humanitarian “pauses” in Gaza, to allow aid to get through.
UK Foreign Secretary calls for sustainable future in region, without militias - video
The UK launched a $50 million co-funding partnership with Qatar to tackle humanitarian crises around the world, including Gaza, its development minister Andrew Mitchell said on Monday.
But access to aid will not be possible without an end to the war, the letter states.
“This is not possible under bombardment. We need a lasting ceasefire, not ‘pauses’,” it said.
A lasting ceasefire was needed for humanitarian organisations to re-establish their work, and to prevent the loss of life.
“It is imperative that the UK government takes immediate action to support an immediate and permanent ceasefire, for which there is growing international consensus,” the letter said.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
The five pillars of Islam
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
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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
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
·
Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
·
What is a portfolio stress test?
·
What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
·
How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
·
Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
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Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, second leg
Liverpool (0) v Atletico Madrid (1)
Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: Thursday, March 12, midnight
Live: On beIN Sports HD
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
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
Company%20profile
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