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Civilians in Gaza, already displaced after 60 days of war, are being forced to find shelter yet again as Israel pushes ahead with its ground incursion and bombardment of southern and central Gaza.
Thousands of families are once more fleeing fighting as Israel steps up its attacks on the cities of Khan Younis and Deir Al Balah.
Many have already fled their homes in northern Gaza, which was the focus of Israel’s initial campaign, after being told to head south by the Israeli military.
With Gaza’s north cut off and those who remain there left without access to humanitarian aid, many families are now being forced further south and west, towards ever-shrinking areas away from Israeli troops.
Fayza, a mother of seven in her 30s, has already been displaced twice since the war broke out on October 7.
Having left their base in Jabalia camp nearly three weeks ago with nothing but the clothes on their backs, Fayza and her family headed to Al Nuseirat in central Gaza, where she stayed in Al Mufti school for a couple of days. Then she moved again.
“The school came under attack and I was terrified for the safety of my kids, so I picked them up once again and looked for a safer place to go,” she told The National.
“I came to Shuhada Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah, hoping to find any empty tent to shelter me and my kids from the chilly weather and the rain,” she said, as she carried her youngest, who is only one year old.
“But I was told by the hospital’s management that there were none left.
“I pleaded and begged but they said it was not possible. So I gathered my kids once more and we went searching for any place that would take us in and off the streets.
"We went from one school to the next,” she said. "They were all crammed with people. Until we found a deserted bathroom in a girls’ school here in Deir Al Balah. This is where we are staying now – a bathroom. That’s all we could find."
Four in five Gazans displaced
According to Ocha, the UN’s emergency aid co-ordination body, there are 1.87 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Gaza, amounting to more than 81 per cent of the enclave’s total population.
Out of the nearly 1.1 million IDPs registered in 156 UNRWA (the UN agency for Palestinian refugees) facilities across Gaza, 958,000 are registered in 99 shelters in the south.
Fayza is one of nearly 191,000 displaced people estimated to be staying in 124 public schools, hospitals and other venues that are unregistered with UNRWA. The sheer numbers mean she is struggling to receive essentials to help her fend for her family.
“Where I am, I am not offered anything, we’ve got nothing,” she said.
“So I came to Shuhada Al Aqsa Hospital to ask for a piece of meat to feed the kids but was told I’m not registered here and priority is given to those who are. But how do I get us registered here?” she asked helplessly.
The hospital in Deir Al Balah, which is already overcrowded with displaced Palestinians who have set camp in its courtyard over the past few weeks, has been receiving more and more refugees as Israeli forces distributed leaflets ordering people in central Gaza to head south.
People crowded around the hospital, circling its walls in an attempt to find a foothold to get in, while doctors and medics scurried to attend to the wounded with what little medical equipment they have.
Ocha reported on December 4 that the overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions at UNRWA shelters in the south have led to significant increases in some communicable diseases and conditions. These include diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, skin infections and hygiene-related conditions such as lice, in addition to initial reports of disease outbreaks, including potentially Hepatitis A, the UN said.
Living among the dead
Um Anas Al Serhi, a resident of Shati Camp on Gaza’s coastline, was forced to leave her home a week into the war.
“They [the Israeli forces] dropped leaflets warning us against staying, so we left and headed to Al Shifa,” she said, referring to the hospital in Gaza city which Israeli soldiers raided late last month.
“We stayed there for a month, living in the X-ray department, with others who had also escaped the violence, witnessing the dead and wounded being brought in day and night. I can’t describe the misery of it,” said the mother of five.
Struggling to find food, Um Anas stayed put where she thought it was safe.
“Exactly a month after we arrived at Al Shifa, they began dropping leaflets ordering us to move once again,” she said. "We ignored them until the assaults got too near, eventually reaching the doorsteps of the hospital. We were seeing bodies of martyrs right outside the hospital’s doors. We had no choice but to leave."
As she spoke to The National, sirens of ambulances bringing in the dead and the wounded drowned out her words.
Having stayed in a tent at Shuhada Al Aqsa Hospital for three weeks, Um Anas is terrified of moving again.
“We’re starved, we’re cold,” she said. "But we have a tent over our head. We wouldn’t know where to go if they make us leave once more."
This article is published in collaboration with Egab.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
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
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Thor: Ragnarok
Dir: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson
Four stars
Under 19 World Cup
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
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
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
