Protests broke out across the Gaza Strip on Sunday in a rare display of dissatisfaction with the Hamas government amid increasingly difficult living conditions, a dwindling economy and allegations of corruption.
Hamas security forces quickly dispersed the protesters, who were burning flags of the militant group. Security personnel also destroyed demonstrators' phones, witnesses said.
Crowds in the city of Khan Younis chanted “Where is the electricity and where is the gas?” and “What a shame. What a shame.”
Protesters also criticised Hamas for deducting fees of about $15 fee from the monthly $100 stipend given to Gaza's poorest families by the state of Qatar.
Sunday's demonstrations were called for by activists via an Instagram page called "Al Virus Al Sakher" (Satirical Virus) in a post on July 16.
"We have been resilient for years ... we will not be silent about our right to life's fundamental needs. We will not be silent over lies and exploitation," the post read.
The activists called for a solution to Gaza's chronic power cuts and for measures to be taken to "satisfy Gazans' hunger", such as by providing them with sufficient money through grants and salaries.
There was no immediate comment from the Hamas authorities.
More demonstrations have been called for August 4.
Also on Sunday, Hamas and the West Bank's ruling Fatah party held talks in the Egyptian coastal city of Alamein in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to reconcile and form a unity government.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to meet Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Monday for further talks.
Hamas and Fatah could reconcile if the militant group agrees to join the Palestinian Liberation Office (PLO) – which recognises Israel as a state.
"If Hamas recognises the PLO Charter, it effectively becomes Fatah. The existence of Israel is an existential issue for Hamas," Washington Institute senior fellow Ghaith Al Omari, who has previously held positions in the Palestinian Authority, told The National.
Mr Abbas, who is also head of the Fatah ruling party, criticised Hamas's 2007 "coup" in Gaza that saw the militant group overthrow the Palestinian Authority and led to an Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the territory that continues to this day.
Last year, nearly half of all Gazans (46.6 per cent) were unemployed, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said in a report published in February. That is equivalent to 239,000 people.
"There is still a wide gap in unemployment rate between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as this rate reached 45 per cent in Gaza Strip compared to 13 per cent in the West Bank," the findings showed.
"On gender level, unemployment rate for females reached 40 per cent compared to 20 per cent for males in Palestine."
Additionally, the majority of those employed (89 per cent) were earning less than the minimum wage ($508) at an average of about $188 per month, it said.
Gazans also suffer from power cuts that can last up to 10 hours at a time, with supply interrupted throughout the rest of the day.
Most Gazans, about 80 per cent, rely on humanitarian aid and cannot afford any alternative sources of power that come at extra cost, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in an appeal for donations after an exchange of attacks with Israel in 2021 that killed 261 Palestinians, including 67 children.
"The ability of people in Gaza to rebound is an unfortunate testament to the harsh reality they live within the face of repeated escalations," William Schomburg, the ICRC's head of sub-delegation in Gaza, said in May.
"Beyond the visible humanitarian consequences of these hostilities, the unseen scars run deep and will continue to affect Gaza’s young and struggling population for years to come."
The damage to residential and commercial buildings, schools, health centres, water and power networks, roads and public buildings also resulted in the disruption of basic and vital services, the UN said.
"The overall estimated cost of damages due to the 2021 escalations is $108,278,755, with the housing sector being the most severely affected ($35,008,917, representing 32.3 per cent of the total costs), followed by the roads and transportation sector ($22,433,832, representing 20.7 per cent) and the energy sector ($21,915,104, representing 20.2 per cent)," the UN found in an assessment published last year.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKenneth%20W%20Harl%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHanover%20Square%20Press%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E576%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
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