Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Families in Gaza will be forced to observe Ramadan in severely overcrowded shelters without adequate food, clean water or other essentials.
The holy month is to begin next week, but Fakhri, 32, an employee at Al Shifa Hospital in the northern Gaza city, said people in the besieged enclave had been living in dire conditions a long time. “We’ve been fasting for five months, living on one meal,” he said.
The war has left much of the Palestinian enclave in ruins and created a humanitarian catastrophe, with most of its population displaced and “one step away from famine”, the UN said.
“In Gaza, the entire population from some 2.2 million people is facing at least crisis levels of acute hunger,” Dina Esposito, an assistant to the administrator of USAid, told a Senate foreign relations committee hearing on global food security on Wednesday.
Children are already dying from malnutrition in northern Gaza as Israel restricts food deliveries, while desperate civilians have gathered around aid lorries. More than 100 people were killed last week when Israeli forces escorting a convoy opened fire on the crowd.
Unicef said at least 10 children were reported to have died from dehydration and malnutrition in northern Gaza.
"We’ve spent difficult Ramadans during wars before, but this is the first time we’re displaced from our homes and our cities,“ said Hassan, 38, an English teacher in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city where the population has soared to about 1.4 million because of the influx of displaced people.
“We are going to fast – this kind of crisis brings one closer to his God and his religion.”
Markets in Gaza have not received new stock since the war began on October 7. The distribution of whatever little food is allowed to enter the enclave is limited mostly to southern Gaza. Scarcity has pushed the price of goods beyond the reach of most Gazans.
“In the past five months, I’ve been spending money that I had been saving for a rainy day and nothing remains from this money now, “ said Ahmed, 34.
"We’re living on donations," said the civil engineer, who was displaced from Gaza city to a refugee camp in Khan Younis in the south, then moved on to Deir Al Balah in central Gaza.
Heavy Israeli bombardment, as well as ground fighting, has destroyed or damaged more than 60 per cent of homes in Gaza and displaced 80 per cent of the population – about 1.7 million people, according to the UN. At least 30,800 people have been killed, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Thursday.
No mosques, or homes to decorate
During Ramadan special prayers known as taraweeh are traditionally performed at mosques every night. But for Gazans, this will not be possible this year.
“I used to perform the taraweeh prayers in a different mosque every day,“ said Omar Nehad, a displaced Palestinian in Rafah.
“Now there are no mosques left. They have all been destroyed.”
Parents and children one went shopping for Ramadan lanterns and decorations for their homes.
This year, there are barely any decorations on sale, and little money to spare to buy them. Concrete homes in the enclave have been replaced with makeshift tents.
“We will hang the lanterns outside our tent,” said Om Mohamed, from Rafah.
Nevertheless, children have found a way to celebrate, resorting to lighting pieces of steel wool and swinging them around quickly to create a homemade firework display.
“Despite the conditions that the Palestinian children are living in, they try to express their feelings ahead of Ramadan," said Rafah resident Nedal Abouleneen. “They play and try to create joy.”
For some parents, the restriction of meals during Ramadan offers some respite.
“We have a strong excuse in front of our children to eat one meal a day, and teach them patience," said Mohammad, 45, who used to work in sales before the war. “May God reward us for all this suffering.”
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Company%20Profile
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