Live updates: Follow the latest from Israel-Gaza
The leaders of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have insisted on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as part of a deal for a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave devastated by nearly four months of war.
Hamas, the dominant group in Gaza, is considering its response to a new proposal to end the fighting that was drawn up Egyptian, American, Israeli and Qatari mediators who met in Paris this week.
The plan includes a ceasefire of up to three months, during which Hamas would release in batches 132 hostages seized during its attacks in southern Israel on October 7 that triggered the war. Israel would in return free Palestinians held in its prisons and allow more aid into Gaza, where its military offensive has displaced most of the population and created a humanitarian crisis.
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and PIJ secretary general Ziyad Nakhaleh agreed that the plan should provide for an end to Israel's offensive, an end to the blockade of Gaza and postwar reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave, according to a Hamas statement on Friday.
Hamas is believed to be holding about 130 hostages taken during its attacks, in which it also killed about 1,200 people. More than 100 of them were released during brief truce in November, in return for the freeing of Palestinians detained in Israel.
Israel's military response to the attacks has devastated Gaza and killed more than 27,000 people so far.
Senior Hamas leader Osama Hamdan said separately on Friday that the group was demanding that Marwan Barghouti, a senior member of Fatah – Hamas's main Palestinian political rival, be included among thousands of Palestinians whose release it is seeking.
Barghouti, a leader in the West Bank during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, is serving five life terms for his role in several deadly attacks. He has been in prison for more than two decades but is considered a possible national leader.
“Hamas wants to show to the Palestinian people that they are not a closed movement. They represent part of the Palestinian social community. They are trying to seem responsible,” said Qadoura Fares, who heads the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoner Affairs in the occupied West Bank and has long been involved in negotiations over prisoner releases.
Hamas's insistence on large-scale prisoner releases and an end to the fighting in Gaza puts the group at odds with the multi-stage plan arrived at in Paris this week. That proposal does not include a permanent ceasefire, but rather an extended truce.
The suggested deal would also provide for the entry into Gaza of substantial humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of the enclave's 2.3 million residents after nearly four months of Israeli bombardment.
After days of expressing optimism over progress towards a deal, mediators were still working to close wide gaps between Israel and Hamas. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned to fly to the region on Sunday to help push the efforts, making stops in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the occupied West Bank, the State Department said.
Pressure is building on Israel from its western allies to pause its war on Gaza, where nearly half of the fatalities have been children.
Israel has promised to destroy Hamas militarily and free all of the hostages in Gaza before ending its war.
Scores
Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)
Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)
UNSC Elections 2022-23
Seats open:
- Two for Africa Group
- One for Asia-Pacific Group (traditionally Arab state or Tunisia)
- One for Latin America and Caribbean Group
- One for Eastern Europe Group
Countries so far running:
ARGENTINA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani, Agustin Marchesin, Esteban Andrada
Defenders: Juan Foyth, Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Nicolas Tagliafico, Ramiro Funes Mori, Renzo Saravia, Marcos Acuna, Milton Casco
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Roberto Pereyra, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala, Matias Suarez
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
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