Israel bombs roads leading to hospitals in Gaza after ordering evacuation


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Israel has destroyed roads leading to the Gaza Strip's main hospitals after giving a final warning to the occupants to evacuate immediately.

The warning came amid heavy shelling overnight, mostly in the north, as Israeli troops press into the besieged enclave with ground assaults.

Israeli rockets landed near the hospital on Sunday evening, destroying roads and access, though the main building remains intact.

Air strikes hit areas near Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital, which is sheltering thousands of displaced Palestinians.

Chief military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari on Monday said the military had killed dozens of militants overnight, without giving details of the location of ground forces.

The death toll among Palestinians has passed 8,000, mostly women and children, the Gaza Health Ministry said. More than 1.4 million people in Gaza have fled their homes.

Medical staff from Al Quds Hospital said they received the warning to evacuate at 9pm on Sunday.

Several senior staff members and nurses at the Palestinian Red Crescent-run Al Quds Hospital were called by Israeli forces, Mohammad Abu Sabbah, PRC spokesman in Gaza, told The National.

"One of [the calls] was to the head of the hospital from the Israeli army," he said.

The hospital official told the man that 14,000 civilians, 100 staff members and 110 people injured and recovering were sheltering in the building, as well as at least seven children in incubators and 10 people in the intensive care unit.

"An hour later, an area 40 metres away was hit in an air strike, causing damage to parts of the hospital and the evacuation of one of the wings to another part of the facility," he said.

Mr Abu Sabbah said 70 per cent of the people taking shelter in the hospital were women and children.

"And the number of people taking shelter goes up at night because they come in from the UNRWA schools nearby, which are no longer safe because the staff running these facilities have fled to the south of Gaza," he said.

Al Quds Hospital's general manager told The National people who had been discharged returned when the shelling began.

"It is unsafe for them to leave," he said.

Images on social media showed Israeli tanks advancing on a main road in Gaza.

An official from the International Committee of the Red Cross said there was concern over warnings directed at Al Quds, which is managed by the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

“The hospital is protected and relocating the significant numbers of injured, ill, those with mobility challenges, individuals in intensive care and others is not feasible,” ICRC Middle East's spokeswoman Jessica Moussan told The National.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said the hospital was overwhelmed, with about 500 patients and more than 12,000 displaced civilians seeking refuge.

“There are babies in incubators and individuals receiving oxygen,” she said. “A viable evacuation alternative is essential. Currently, no such option exists in Gaza.”

Faris Al Jawad, Doctors with Borders (MSF), communications manager, told The National that evacuating hospitals in Gaza is impossible for medical staff.

"Our staff are staying to provide life saving care in Al Quds and Al Shiffa hospitals," he said, adding that "It’s an impossible choice for our doctors to leave and choose their lives over the lives of the patients."

Mr Al Jawad said MSF continues to call for a ceasefire and for desperately needed supplies as basic necessities are running out.

"There is a huge shortage of medical supplies such as painkillers and morphine are really running low. Some surgeons and doctors have had to do amputations without proper anesthesia," he said.

During the last 24 hours, the Israeli military said it has targeted more than 600 Hamas fighters in the past few days amid expanded ground operations in the Gaza Strip.

About 20 Palestinians were killed in overnight clashes in Gaza with Israeli forces, Palestinian medical officials said.

Palestinian militants clashed with Israeli forces in a border area near the city of Khan Younis in the south, reports said.

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Three trading apps to try

Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:

  • For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

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Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)

Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy

Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy

Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy

Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium

UAE squad

Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia

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• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

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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

Updated: October 30, 2023, 1:02 PM`