Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Hamas and US officials raised hopes that negotiations in Doha and Cairo over recent months may bring the 14-month conflict in Gaza to a ceasefire.
Hamas, which runs Gaza and has been at war with Israel since October 2023, said progress in the Doha talks, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, was "serious and positive", indicating that a ceasefire and deal for the return of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza may be possible.
"Hamas confirms that in light of the serious and positive discussions taking place in Doha today under the auspices of the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange is possible if [Israel] stops setting new conditions," the group said in a statement.
The war, sparked by the attack on southern Israel by Hamas during which militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages back to Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of more than 45,000 people and reduced much of the enclave to rubble.
The last time a ceasefire deal was reached between the two warring parties was in November 2023, when 100 Israeli hostages were exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and there was a cessation in hostilities. But the deal fell apart within a week.
Sources briefed on the negotiations told The National that a mid-level team from Israel's spy agency Mossad and its domestic security counterpart Shin Bet are in Doha ironing out technical details of a possible deal. They said the discussions included the monitoring of the Egypt-Gaza border and security measures to weed out militants when displaced Palestinians in Gaza are allowed to return home to the north of the enclave.
That technical details were being discussed, they explained, suggested a ceasefire deal and prisoner and hostage swap could be within reach. However, they cautioned that past optimism an agreement might be imminent had proved premature.
They said Hamas has dropped two core demands - a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza - positions that had in the past derailed efforts to reach a deal. "Unless Israel makes impossible last-minute demands, a deal could realistically be struck soon," said one of the sources.
Hopes are high for a deal before the new year, after talks resumed in the Qatari capital last week following a three-month hiatus. Sources told The National at the time that Hamas had agreed in principle to a truce of up to 30 days and had drawn up a list of hostages it could release.
On Tuesday, White House spokesman John Kirby said progress was being made. "We believe - and the Israelis have said this - that we're getting closer, and no doubt about it, we believe that, but we also are cautious in our optimism," Mr Kirby told Fox News. "We've been in this position before where we weren't able to get it over the finish line."
The parties are considering a ceasefire plan put together by the Biden administration in the US and presented for negotiation in May. Thus far, talks have repeatedly fallen apart over the issue of an Israeli military presence on the ground in Gaza. Hamas has previously said it will not release hostages back to Israel until its troops are out of the enclave.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz did not appear to move from this position on Tuesday, saying Israel will have security control over Gaza with full freedom of action after defeating Hamas. "My position on Gaza is clear. After we defeat Hamas's military and governmental power in Gaza, Israel will have security control over Gaza with full freedom of action," Mr Katz wrote on X.
"We will not allow any terrorist organisation against Israeli communities and Israeli citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to the reality of before October 7."
But he told the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs committee on Monday that Israel had not been this close to a deal since the November ceasefire.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
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Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
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Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
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- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
MATCH INFO
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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((Disclaimer))
The Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG (“Bank”) assumes no liability or guarantee for the accuracy, balance, or completeness of the information in this publication. The content may change at any time due to given circumstances, and the Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG is under no obligation to update information once it has been published. This publication is intended for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer, a recommendation or an invitation by, or on behalf of, Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch), Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG, or any of its group affiliates to make any investments or obtain services. This publication has not been reviewed, disapproved or approved by the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) Central Bank, Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”) or any other relevant licensing authorities in the UAE. It may not be relied upon by or distributed to retail clients. Liechtensteinische Landesbank (DIFC Branch) is regulated by the DFSA and this advertorial is intended for Professional Clients (as defined by the DFSA) who have sufficient financial experience and understanding of financial markets, products or transactions and any associated risks.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
