Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
An Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza city has killed more than 100 Palestinians and wounded dozens of others, local authorities and rescuers said.
Israeli planes hit the Al Tabaeen school in the east of Gaza city with three missiles as people were performing fajr, or dawn prayers, local authorities said.
“Rescue and civil defence teams were unable to retrieve the bodies,” the Wafa state news agency said. The death toll could rise, it added.
Most of the injured were taken to Al Ahli Al Arab Hospital and were “in a very serious condition”.
“Our crews have so far recovered more than 100 martyrs, with more than 60 still missing,” Dr Mohammed Al Mogheer, a civil defence official, told The National. “Additionally, more than 150 injured individuals have been rescued so far.”
Some of the bodies arriving at the hospital were damaged beyond recognition.
The school was sheltering more than 2,400 people, he said.
He said the Israeli strike “violates all international laws”.
The attack was carried out “using three missiles, some of which are believed to be incendiary bombs”, Dr Al Mogheer said.
“Each of the three missiles was of the type Mk-84 which weighs 2,000 pounds [907kg].”
According to a civil defence statement, first responders had to put out fires before retrieving the bodies of people killed and rescuing survivors.
The statement said there were “large quantities” of unidentified bodies and body parts at the Al Ahli hospital, adding: “Families are facing difficulty in identifying their sons.”
People were performing prayers on the ground floor of the school, while the first floor housed displaced women, Gaza's government media office said.
Israel's military disputed the death toll from the attack, saying that the accounts from Palestinian officials were “exaggerated and do not coincide with the information available in the IDF, the exact weapons used and the accuracy of the hit”.
According to the Gaza civil defence, Israel has targeted 13 shelters so far this month.
Fatah, which controls the occupied West Bank, said the attack on Saturday “represents the height of terrorism and criminality” by Israel.
“By committing these massacres, it confirms beyond any doubts its efforts to exterminate our people through a policy of cumulative killing,” it said.
The Israeli army said its air force struck a Hamas command centre “embedded in the Al Tabaeen school and located adjacent to a mosque in Daraj Tuffah, which serves as a shelter for the residents of Gaza city”.
“Numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance and intelligence information,” the army said.
Israel has struck six schools in a week in Gaza city, Wafa said.
The air strike on Saturday is one of the deadliest of the Israel-Gaza war and came days before the expected resumption of talks to end the conflict.
The local health ministry said on Saturday that more than 39,700 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7, when Hamas killed about 1,200 people and seized about 240 hostages in attacks on southern Israel.
Leaders of the US, Qatar and Egypt have urged Israel and Hamas to resume Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha or Cairo next week, despite deepening mistrust following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and the appointment of hardliner Yahya Sinwar as his successor.
The call, supported by countries in the region including the UAE and Turkey, comes amid fears of a full-scale war in the Middle East, as Israel awaits Iran’s retaliation for the killing of Mr Haniyeh on its soil and Hezbollah’s avowed “punishment” for the assassination of its senior military commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut last week.
Its apparent aim is to create momentum for stopping the devastating war in the Palestinian territory, diffuse tension across the region and halt the violence before it escalates.
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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
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
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Dubai World Cup draw
1. Gunnevera
2. Capezzano
3. North America
4. Audible
5. Seeking The Soul
6. Pavel
7. Gronkowski
8. Axelrod
9. New Trails
10. Yoshida
11. K T Brave
12. Thunder Snow
13. Dolkong
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
More on Yemen's civil war
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Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
