Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
The US denied on Sunday that a pier in the Mediterranean Sea set up by its military for aid deliveries was used in the evacuation of four Israeli hostages rescued from Gaza on Saturday.
Gaza health authorities said 274 people, mostly civilians, were killed during the hostage rescue operation under the cover of Israeli air attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp, where the hostages were located. About 700 others were injured.
Israeli media said counterterrorism forces came under heavy fire after the rescue attempt, which led to the death of the Israeli commanding officer, and relied on air support as they fought their way to a helicopter landing zone.
The US statement comes after a video emerged on X, showing an Israeli Black Hawk helicopter close to the pier, picking up hostages and security forces before departing. The pier can be seen, along with an aid vehicle and military equipment, including a US counter-drone system.
“The humanitarian pier facility, including its equipment, personnel, and assets were not used in the operation to rescue hostages today in Gaza. An area south of the facility was used by the Israelis to safely return the hostages to Israel. Any such claim to the contrary is false,” said US Central Command, the US military headquarters in the Middle East.
“The temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was put in place for one purpose only, to help move additional, urgently needed life-saving assistance into Gaza.”
The attack on the Nuseirat camp has drawn international condemnation.
The United Arab Emirates denounced the "ongoing Israeli violations which has resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries of innocent civilians".
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reaffirmed the need for "an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life," it said.
"The immediate priority is to preserve the lives of civilians, and ensure the immediate, safe, sustainable, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian, and relief aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip," it added.
Turkey’s foreign ministry called the raid “a barbaric attack”.
“Israel has added a new one to the list of war crimes it has committed in Gaza,” it said.
Vice President of the EU comission Josep Borrell said: “Reports from Gaza of another massacre of civilians are appalling. We condemn this in the strongest terms. The bloodbath must end immediately."
More civilians were killed on Sunday morning during Israeli strikes on Al Bureij refugee camp and Rafah, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, adding that Israel has intensified its attacks since Saturday's strikes.
Three people were killed in an attack on a home in Al Bureij, Wafa said, with two others killed in Rafah's Tal Al Sultan neighbourhood.
In northern Gaza, 50 malnourished children were admitted to a hospital in the space of a week, medical sources told Wafa.
As a result of fuel shortages, minimum medical services are being provided at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabilia refugee camp, where the children were admitted, Wafa reported, describing the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic”.
More than 37 children have starved to death in Gaza, 30 of whom received medical treated at Kamal Adwan.
On Saturday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US supported the release of all remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza – thought to be about 130, through “continuing negotiations or other means”.
Officials told CBS News on Saturday that the US had provided intelligence support for the hostage rescue.
On Sunday, the White House said it would continue to back talks to free the hostages, in exchange for a “ceasefire deal that is now on the table.” Such a deal would come with “security assurances for Israel and relief for the innocent civilians in Gaza”, and had wide international backing from the G7 and regional countries.
Mr Sullivan's statement a day after the US resumed aid deliveries from its temporary pier, the country's military said after the structure suffered storm damage and underwent repairs in a nearby port.
“Today at approximately 10.30am (Gaza time) US Central Command began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 tonnes of much-needed humanitarian assistance was delivered to the people of Gaza,” Centcom said on X.
“No US military personnel went ashore in Gaza,” it added.
More than two million pounds of humanitarian aid were delivered on the pier last month, but it was damaged by high seas around a week after deliveries began.
The pier was repaired in the Israeli port of Ashdod before being brought back to the Gaza coast and re-established on Friday.
Israel has been accused of delaying the entry of aid into Gaza, depriving the territory's 2.4 million people of clean water, food, medicines and fuel.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
