Israel carried out more heavy airstrikes across Gaza city early on Monday, as an Israeli military official said a ground war was not off the table.
Explosions rocked the city from north to south for 10 minutes in an attack that was heavier, across a wider area and lasted longer than any of the raids in the preceding 24 hours.
Forty-two Palestinians were killed in the barrage, the latest round of violence between Israel and the Hamas militant group that controls Gaza.
Earlier air strikes demolished three buildings.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, and in the predawn darkness there was little detail on the extent of damage.
Local media reports said the main coastal road west of the city, security compounds and open spaces were hit.
The power distribution company said a line feeding electricity from the only plant to much of southern Gaza city was damaged.
Violence began in East Jerusalem last month, when Palestinians clashed with police in response to Israeli tactics during Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by settlers.
A focus of the clashes was the Al Aqsa Mosque, a frequent flashpoint located on a hilltop compound important to Muslims and Jews.
Hamas began firing rockets toward Jerusalem on Monday, triggering the Israeli assault on Gaza.
Rising death toll
At least 198 Palestinians have been killed in hundreds of air strikes on Gaza, including 58 children. Over 1200 people have been wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Eight people in Israel were killed in some of the 3,100 rocket attacks launched from Gaza. They included a five-year-old boy and a soldier.
In a press briefing on Monday an Israeli military official said a ground war had not been "ruled out" at this point.
The official called the current fighting "a war of attrition" saying "the IDF can go on with this forever and they (Hamas) can go on with their rockets, sadly, also for a very long time."
Over the last week Israel's military has faced growing condemnation from around the world over the impact on the civilian population of Gaza.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh called on the international community to intervene in Gaza, calling the Israeli attacks a "systematic crime" and asking for the International Criminal Court to act swiftly.
Mr Shtayyeh also requested the facilitation of medical supply deliveries to the Gaza strip.
In a televised address on Sunday, Mr Netanyahu said Israel's attacks were continuing at "full-force" and would take time.
Israel "wants to levy a heavy price" on Hamas, he said, flanked by Defence Minister and political rival Benny Gantz in a show of unity.
Hamas also pressed on, launching rockets from civilian areas in Gaza toward civilian areas in Israel.
One hit a synagogue in the southern city of Ashkelon hours before evening services for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, Israeli emergency services said.
No injuries were reported.
In the Israeli air assault early on Sunday, families were buried under piles of cement rubble and twisted rebar.
The hostilities have escalated over the past week, marking the worst fighting in the territory that is home to two million Palestinians since Israel and Hamas' 2014 war.
“I have not seen this level of destruction through my 14 years of work,” said Samir Al Khatib, an emergency rescue official in Gaza. “Not even in the 2014 war.”
Rescuers dug through the rubble with excavators and bulldozers. One shouted, "Can you hear me?" into a hole. Minutes later, a survivor was pulled out.
The Gaza Health Ministry said 10 children were among those killed, with more than 50 people wounded.
"I have not seen this level of destruction through my 14 years of work," said Samir al-Khatib, an emergency rescue official in Gaza
The Israeli army representative’s office said the strike was aimed at Hamas' “underground military infrastructure.”
As a result, "the underground facility collapsed, causing the civilian houses' foundations above them to collapse as well, leading to unintended casualties," it said.
Israel's air strikes razed some of Gaza city's tallest buildings, which Israel alleges contained Hamas military infrastructure. Among them was the building housing the Associated Press Gaza office and those of other media outlets.
Israeli military spokesman, Jonathan Conricus said at least 130 "enemy combatants" had been in strikes on 820 different targets, "mostly using the air force but not only,".
Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group have acknowledged 20 fighters were killed.
Israel said the number was far higher and released the names and photos of two dozen alleged operatives it said were "eliminated".
The Israeli military later killed Hasam Abu Harbid, Commander of the Northern Division in the Islamic Jihad terror organisation.
It said Abu Harbid was a commander in the group for over 15 years, and was behind several anti-tank missile attacks against Israeli civilians, including the attack from the first day of the current conflict in which a civilian was injured.
Islamic Jihad confirmed Abu Harbid's death.
Calls for calm and UN intervention
The assault displaced about 34,000 Palestinians from their homes, UN Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, where eight foreign ministers spoke about the conflict.
Efforts by China, Norway and Tunisia to get the council to issue a statement, including a call for the cessation of hostilities, have been blocked by the US, which, according to diplomats, is concerned it could interfere with efforts to stop the violence.
"We have been working around the clock through diplomatic channels to try to bring an end to the conflict," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a joint briefing with Denmark's foreign minister in Copenhagen on Monday.
"The United States remains greatly concerned by the escalating violence. Hundreds of people killed or injured, including children being pulled from the rubble," he said.
He said the US was ready to support if the parties wanted help to negotiate a ceasefire.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki urged the UN Security Council to take action to end Israeli attacks.
Israel's UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, called on the council to condemn Hamas' "indiscriminate and unprovoked attacks".
Turkey's President President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday appealed to Pope Francis to help rally the world to adopt sanctions against Israel, and Russia
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Brief scoreline
Switzerland 0
England 0
Result: England win 6-5 on penalties
Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
Results
2pm Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,800m
Winner AF Al Baher, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner Davy Lamp, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner Ode To Autumn, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner Arch Gold, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
4.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,800m
Winner Meqdam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
5pm Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner Native Appeal, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Amani Pico, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Teams
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shanwari, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
