Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
A Palestinian whose home was destroyed in an air strike said people should stop watching footage of the Israel-Gaza war as if it were a film and take action instead.
Digital content creator Ahmad Ghunaim, 24, who was lucky to survive when his apartment was destroyed two weeks ago, has opened up about the reality of life for those living in the Gaza Strip.
He spoke to The National about how he has been publishing content from the conflict since the first day of the war.
Mr Ghunaim said he was using his social media platforms to help shine a light on the reality of living under siege.
We are not just statistics in a news report, we are people, families, and we deserve to live in peace and security
Ahmad Ghunaim
“People are watching our suffering and the conflict as if they are watching a movie,” he said.
“We are living inside this movie, and we die every day but nobody makes a move to stop the war. Stop watching and take action
“We are alive but it feels like we are dead."
His apartment was destroyed in an air strike two weeks ago, the violence has only escalated since then.
More than 10,500 have been killed in Gaza, with 70 per cent of the population being forcibly displaced.
Home destroyed in air strike
He spoke of the horror he experienced when his home in the south of Gaza was blown to rubble.
“It was terrifying. The sound of the explosions and the chaos. It is something no one should ever experience,” he said.
“It was a miracle to survive and flee the house with my family members.”
As Israel continues its blockade of the Gaza Strip, Palestinians like Mr Ghunaim, find themselves facing several challenges, with basic needs becoming increasingly difficult to secure.
“Access to clean water, medical supplies, and even food is a daily struggle,” he added.
Despite the hardships, Mr Ghunaim is determined to provide for his family and maintain some degree of normality, despite the events unfolding around him.
His daily routine involves rationing his family's food supplies, scavenging for clean water, and venturing out into the damaged streets of the city in search of essential items.
He regularly awakens in the early hours of each morning to stand in long queues to hopefully get bread and clean water.
“Yesterday I stood for six hours and could not get bread for my family,” he said.
“I waited another two hours to get water also, but it was finished. I spent another three days waiting in queues just to get a gallon of water for my family.”
Life on the streets is now a reality for many
Mr Ghunaim is currently living on the streets along with his family after their home was destroyed.
“We left our destroyed home with no money and the schools cannot take any new refugees because they are full. I do not know what to do,” he added.
“There is no internet, and we cannot communicate. Israel is bombing us around the clock. They are making a genocide in Gaza. We are still alive, but we feel that we are dead from inside,” he said.
“There is no safe place in the whole of the Gaza Strip. We try to stay alive, but it is not under our control with the relentless and barbaric bombardment day and night.”
Mr Ghunaim remains hopeful in his determination to rebuild his life and support his family.
“We are not just statistics in a news report, we are people, families, and we deserve to live in peace and security,” he said.
While large swathes of the international community have called for a ceasefire and a resolution to the conflict, the people of Gaza, including Mr Ghunaim, continue to endure daily hardships and uncertainty.
“People died while they were sitting inside their homes. Life in Gaza is the worst it's ever been and it gets worse every day,” he said.
“We try to survive every day but it is difficult. We miss our normal life before the conflict.”
Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now
There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:
1. Rising US interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.
Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”
At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.
2. Stronger dollar
High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.”
3. Global trade war
Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”
4. Eurozone uncertainty
Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”
The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Results
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EElite%20men%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Amare%20Hailemichael%20Samson%20(ERI)%202%3A07%3A10%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Leornard%20Barsoton%20(KEN)%202%3A09%3A37%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Ilham%20Ozbilan%20(TUR)%202%3A10%3A16%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Gideon%20Chepkonga%20(KEN)%202%3A11%3A17%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Isaac%20Timoi%20(KEN)%202%3A11%3A34%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EElite%20women%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Brigid%20Kosgei%20(KEN)%202%3A19%3A15%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Hawi%20Feysa%20Gejia%20(ETH)%202%3A24%3A03%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Sintayehu%20Dessi%20(ETH)%202%3A25%3A36%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Aurelia%20Kiptui%20(KEN)%202%3A28%3A59%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Emily%20Kipchumba%20(KEN)%202%3A29%3A52%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
