A mother in Gaza has spoken of her heartbreak after one of her daughter’s friends was killed in an Israeli air strike on Tuesday morning.
The strike killed three commanders in militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad as well as 10 civilians, among them four children.
Alaa Abu Aisha, 36, told The National that her daughter, Tokka, aged 10, “hasn’t eaten anything since she received the news about [the death] of her friend” Maiar Ezz Al Deen.
Ms Abu Aisha said that before the air strikes, Tokka and Maiar had been looking forward to going on a school trip on Tuesday.
“My children were sleeping, and I was terrified that if one of them woke up, they would be afraid of the bombing and explosions sounds,” Ms Abu Aisha said.
Another Gaza city resident, 17-year-old Mona Nezar, said she had been preparing for her final exams when “suddenly I heard the sound of bombing”.
“It was horrible,” she said.
“I don’t want the same scenario we saw in May 2021. I want to finish my high school year peacefully and prepare for the next stage of my life.”
Israel conducted an 11-day military offensive in May 2021 in Gaza, the fourth major offensive launched on the Palestinian territory in 14 years.
The assault killed 261 people, including 67 children, and wounded more than 2,200, according to the UN.
“Sometimes I wonder if we will live this life forever, a life that has uncertain future and unfinished dreams,” Mona said.
Mkhaimar Abusada, an associate professor of political science at Al Azhar University in Gaza, said “something like this was to be expected, but we did not think the magnitude would be as bad as was seen last night”.
“Palestinians feel that killing leaders with their entire families is unacceptable and very painful, but it’s not public opinion that decides whether to go into a wider conflict with Israel or not,” he said.
Gaza’s streets were calm during the day, and Mr Abusada said it was unlikely that militant groups in the enclave would respond to the strikes immediately.
“I don’t think Islamic Jihad is ready to be fighting Israel on its own, such as was seen last August or February of 2020, when Israel inflicted heavy casualties on the group,” he said.
Mr Abusada added that an escalation in the short term depends on whether Hamas, the most powerful militant organisation in Gaza, agrees on a joint response in with Islamic Jihad.
“Hamas is responsible for two million people in Gaza. Any war would lead to further casualties and disruption to civilian infrastructure,” he said.
“We often hear that Hamas is preparing for the so-called ‘Big Battle’ for the total liberation of Palestine. Preparations for that mean Hamas is wary of smaller operations against Israel.”
But for now, the possibility of a delayed response is not quelling anxiety or anger in Gaza.
Taxi driver Mohammed Adel, 27, told The National that his three children “woke up afraid and crying after hearing the sound of bombing”.
“We don’t want war because I am afraid for my children, but we want the resistance to respond.”
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
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UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5