Yafa Adar, 85, wanted to spend the remaining years of her life surrounded by her three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Instead, she is currently somewhere in Gaza, where Israeli tanks and bulldozers have reportedly encircled the besieged enclave that has been under relentless aerial bombardment as well as three communications blackouts.
“I cannot believe that her life will end as a hostage in a dark tunnel in Gaza, alone, in pain and without anyone to help. The thought is horrifying,” Ms Adar’s granddaughter Adva Adar told The National.
Her painful experience – shared by thousands of Israelis – threatens to corrode Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts at fostering wartime unity. His rhetoric is not enough to quell the rising anger and despair among the families of the more than 240 hostages who want the government to bring their loved ones home.
It has been a month since more than 1,400 people were killed and the elder Ms Adar and others – including children – were taken hostage by Hamas in its deadliest cross-border attack on Israel on October 7. The attack has spawned one of the most destructive wars in the decades-long history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived for his second Middle East tour last week to press for more humanitarian aid for Gaza, international pressure mounted on Israel for a ceasefire.
Brutal urban warfare has unfolded in the enclave, with Israeli troops surrounding Gaza city, dividing the enclave in two, in what the army calls a “significant stage”.
More than 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli air strikes so far, including 4,800 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Casualties are also mounting on the Israeli side, with the latest death toll of soldiers put at 23 by the military.
It is not clear how long Israel will take to crush Hamas, but Mr Netanyahu has vowed that operations will continue “until the hostages are returned”.
“We will simply continue until we win. We have no alternative,” he said after a recent visit to troops.
Rising anger and despair among families
One month into the hostage crisis, families say their patience is waning.
“It is like hell. I cannot believe that it has been a month and my grandmother is still not home,” said Ms Adar.
“She was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and she could probably be the oldest among the hostages. She has multiple health conditions, needs a special bed to sleep and cannot survive without her regular medicines.”
Her cousin Tamer Adar, 38, was also taken hostage, while several other relatives sustained serious injuries in the October 7 attack.
Many citizens have had their entire families taken into Gaza. Yoni Asher told The National that his wife Doron, a German citizen, their two daughters – Raz, 4, and Aviv, 2 – and their grandmother Efrat Katz were taken hostage.
“It is getting more and more difficult to bear the uncertainty. I don’t know where they are, whether they are eating or sleeping. I just want them to be safe,” he said.
Mr Asher came to know of their kidnapping through a TikTok video released by Hamas.
“I have been doing everything in my power to expedite their release. I went to Germany and met the German Chancellor [Olaf Scholz] and the Foreign Minister to request help,” said Mr Asher.
Protests rock Israel
As weeks pass with no news of the hostages, and the Israeli government not relenting to the Hamas demand of freeing Palestinian prisoners in Israel in exchange of hostages, desperation of the families is mounting.
Many relatives are currently camping outside army headquarters to step up pressure on authorities to bring the hostages home.
“Several of my family members are also there. We want to put more pressure on the army and the government. They should know that their only priority should be bring the hostages safe home,” said Ms Adar.
There have also been widespread protests outside Mr Netanyahu’s residence, as many question the government’s failure to protect civilians.
The protests coincide with the latest poll showing more than three quarters of Israelis believe Mr Netanyahu should resign, underlining the growing public fury at political and security leaders.
Many Israelis have raised questions about the major security lapse that allowed the abductions.
When a Tel Aviv resident could no longer get in touch with his family after Hamas gunmen ransacked their home near the Gaza border, he never considered they had been kidnapped.
“But the reality was different,” said the Israeli citizen, who declined to be named.
“We were shocked to realise that terrorists are in my kibbutz, they killed people and they took my family to Gaza.
“We thought the border will be closed in 10 minutes – that is just common sense – but that did not happen.
“But now what is more important to me is that we get them back and not dealing with what should have happened.
“Of course, questions are coming to my head but I really want them back.”
The shock and devastation of the October 7 attack has struck a deep trauma in the Israeli psyche as people grapple with heightened fear and a renewed sense of vulnerability.
“We are traumatised in a severe way. This attack has shattered our sense of security. We are not safe in our own homes now,” said Ms Adar.
“Hundreds of Israeli families have become refugees in their own country. They have lost their homes and possessions.”
When asked whether she trusts the Netanyahu government to bring her family members safe home, Ms Adar said she has “no choice”.
“I wake up every morning only because I believe the government and the army will put the interests of the hostages at the top. They have to bring them back.”
Additional reporting by Ramola Talwar Badam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The cost of Covid testing around the world
Egypt
Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists
Information can be found through VFS Global.
Jordan
Dh212
Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.
Cambodia
Dh478
Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.
Zanzibar
AED 295
Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.
Abu Dhabi
Dh85
Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.
UK
From Dh400
Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Royal wedding inspired menu
Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea
Avocado ranch dip with crudites
Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches
Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
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
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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
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
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
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The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
1.
|
United States
|
2.
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China
|
3.
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UAE
|
4.
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Japan
|
5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
|
8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets