A small number of passengers at Tel Aviv airport prepared to leave Israel on Thursday as the conflict with Gaza militants intensified.
Israel’s aviation authority had to reroute and cancel numerous flights as rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave targeted the capital and surrounding areas.
"We were in the bunker one hour ago, because of the attacks, but I think we are protected very well here," said Andre Valenta, 28, who hoped to travel home to Dubai after cutting short a business trip.
“Because the situation got worse we had to get out.
"We saw a couple of rockets, so there is no reason for us to stay here," he said, but would return to Israel in a few days if the security situation improves.
In the airport, the departures board was dotted with red cancellation notes beside flights to Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London, while yellow signs pointed to bomb shelters.
“Like other airlines, we have cancelled our flights to and from Tel Aviv today. The safety and security of our colleagues and customers is always our top priority, and we continue to monitor the situation closely,” British Airways said.
At the departures lounge, a French-Israeli couple was trying to board a plane to Paris a day after their flight was cancelled.
“[We spend] half the time here [in Israel] and half the time in Paris, so we are going back home,” said the female passenger, 72, who declined to give her name.
While living in Tel Aviv, they had been waiting for flights to resume after a pandemic-related airport closure this year.
"We Israelis are used to war, to war and all kinds of situations. So we live our lives ... there's nothing we can do," she said.
Since Monday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel launched nearly 1,000 strikes on Gaza.
At least 83 Gazans and seven Israel residents were killed and hundreds wounded.
Israel's military estimated that about 1,750 rockets were fired from the Palestinian territory.
Hamas, which rules Gaza, said it fired a rocket at Ramon airport on Thursday.
A spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing called on “international airlines to immediately cease their flights to any airport” in Israel.
Despite international calls for an end to the violence, there are fears the conflict could erupt into a ground war, as happened in 2014.
"We have the ground troops that have been told to prepare," military spokesman Jonathan Conricus told The National.
The last conflict lasted 50 days and killed 2,256 Palestinians, including 1,563 civilians, according to UN figures. Sixty-seven Israeli soldiers and six civilians in Israel were killed.
Predictions
Predicted winners for final round of games before play-offs:
- Friday: Delhi v Chennai - Chennai
- Saturday: Rajasthan v Bangalore - Bangalore
- Saturday: Hyderabad v Kolkata - Hyderabad
- Sunday: Delhi v Mumbai - Mumbai
- Sunday - Chennai v Punjab - Chennai
Final top-four (who will make play-offs): Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
Match info
Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Mobile phone packages comparison
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Honeymoonish
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'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
