Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Israel intensified its bombardment across the Gaza Strip just after midnight on Thursday, killing dozens of Palestinians, as its forces advanced deeper into the heart of the southern city of Rafah.
The assault on Rafah, a city that served as a refuge for more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people, has sent hundreds of thousands of people fleeing to previously war-ravaged areas of the enclave since May 6.
Palestinian media reported that an Israeli air strike on Gaza city killed at least 16 people, including 10 children. In a separate strike, seven people in one house were killed in Zawayda. Eight Palestinians, including children, were killed in the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Reuters reported that Israeli tanks had taken up position on the edge of Yibna neighbourhood in central Rafah, raising concern that a full-scale invasion of the southern city was imminent despite international concerns about high civilian casualties.
Residents said the area near Yibna had experienced intense shelling as warplanes and helicopters hovered above.
Israel says it has to enter Rafah to flush out the Hamas fighters it believes are hiding there.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a House of Representatives hearing on Wednesday that the Biden administration is concerned about Israel's possible use of heavy bombs against civilians in Rafah.
“We have an ongoing conversation with Israel about this and about our concerns about the use of these particular weapons in that particular way in that particular place. And those concerns remain,” Mr Blinken said.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said on X that he discussed the importance of protecting civilians in Rafah in a phone call with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
More than 35,700 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry, since Israel started its war on Gaza on October 7 in retaliation to a Hamas attack which killed about 1,200 Israelis.
The UN estimates that more than 800,000 people have fled Rafah since Israel launched its offensive there.
The Israeli army said it had found rocket launchers aimed at Israel in eastern Rafah. Residents said that the Israeli military was still stationed in the area.
The military added that it was advancing through the Brazil and Shaboura neighbourhoods based on information on “terror targets” it said it had received. It also conducted raids in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, claiming to be fighting Hamas remnants.
The military said it killed a number of Hamas fighters in Khan Younis, including a key member identified as Ahmed Yasser Alkara. Israeli forces returned to the city, which lies north of Rafah, despite the military claiming to have defeated the group there months ago.
Khan Younis, already devastated by the previous Israeli offensive, is one of the cities where Palestinians displaced from Rafah are seeking refuge.
“With the ongoing waves of displacement from Rafah to destroyed areas, the situation is worsening, especially in the western regions of Khan Younis, which lack essential services and facilities for the displaced,” Inas Hamdan, acting public information officer for the UNRWA in Gaza, told The National on Thursday.
“Although these areas are said to be safe, in reality, they are not safe.”
The heavy fighting, constant displacement and lack of essential items such as food, water and fuel are worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis across the Gaza Strip. There is concern that the heat of summer could make the situation worse.
Mohammed Hussein, who left his home in eastern Rafah when the Israeli incursion began, now lives in a tent in Khan Younis with nine family members. He says the heat inside and the lack of water were making it unbearable.
“I can handle the shortage of food and the lack of water, but what about the children? All I care about is providing them with food and good living conditions,” he said.
Aid delivery, which has been slow because of Israeli restrictions and a hostile security environment, dropped sharply after Israel's seizure of the Gaza side of Rafah crossing from Egypt prompted its closure.
“I haven’t received aid for a month, and we are now eating from the stored food we received before. The amount we have is nearly finished,” Umm Saleh Abu Armana, 45, who is living with eight family members in a classroom at an UNRWA-run school in Tal Al Sultan, west of Rafah city, told The National.
“The Israeli army mentioned that the west of Rafah would be a safe place. They want us to survive the shelling only to die from hunger.
“I hope we can go back to our normal life. Diseases are spreading here and the living conditions are terrible.”
World Food Programme spokesman Steve Taravella told AP on Wednesday that they handed out a “limited number” of high-energy biscuits in central Gaza. This was from the first batch of relief brought in through the US-built pier on Gaza's coast this week.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that some of the aid had been delivered “specifically to the Palestinians who need it”.
Israeli raids in West Bank
As the offensive in Gaza intensified, the death toll from the Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank rose after a 30-year-old Palestinian man died from his wounds on Thursday morning.
At least 12 people have been killed in the operation that began on Tuesday morning, including four children and a doctor, the officials Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Ambulances were prevented from providing medical assistance to those shot by Israeli forces and a paramedic was arrested while treating the injured, Wafa said.
Market stalls, vehicles and civilian property were destroyed by Israeli bulldozers during the raid, local media reported.
Al Jazeera said Israeli forces fired at their crew near a hotel in Jenin on Wednesday night as they were preparing to go live. One hotel staff member was injured.
Footage from the raid shows smoke billowing from tyres set on fire by Palestinian protesters clashing with Israeli forces. Most of the streets near the Jenin refugee camp were empty of civilians.
Videos on social media showed Israeli forces with snipers and military bulldozers on the streets, with roundabouts and civilian property in Jenin turned into rubble. Footage also showed blindfolded men stripped to their underwear before being taken away.
More than 18 Palestinians were arrested since Wednesday evening in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron and Jericho. This raises the overall number of arrests since October 7 to 8,840, according to Wafa.
The Jenin camp has been a target of repeated Israeli military operations, particularly since October 7. The Israeli government claims the camp is a stronghold of armed factions responsible for committing and plotting attacks.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
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
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
More on animal trafficking
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Norway
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Canada
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TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%208
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041mm%2C%20352%20x%20430%3B%2045mm%2C%20396%20x%20484%3B%20Retina%20LTPO%20OLED%2C%20up%20to%201000%20nits%2C%20always-on%3B%20Ion-X%20glass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20S8%2C%20W3%20wireless%2C%20U1%20ultra-wideband%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2032GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20watchOS%209%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHealth%20metrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203rd-gen%20heart%20rate%20sensor%2C%20temperature%20sensing%2C%20ECG%2C%20blood%20oxygen%2C%20workouts%2C%20fall%2Fcrash%20detection%3B%20emergency%20SOS%2C%20international%20emergency%20calling%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GPS%2FGPS%20%2B%20cellular%3B%20Wi-Fi%2C%20LTE%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP6X%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%2050m%2C%20dust%20resistant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20308mAh%20Li-ion%2C%20up%20to%2018h%2C%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20eSIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinishes%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Aluminium%20%E2%80%93%20midnight%2C%20Product%20Red%2C%20silver%2C%20starlight%3B%20stainless%20steel%20%E2%80%93%20gold%2C%20graphite%2C%20silver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Watch%20Series%208%2C%20magnetic-to-USB-C%20charging%20cable%2C%20band%2Floop%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starts%20at%20Dh1%2C599%20(41mm)%20%2F%20Dh1%2C999%20(45mm)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
