Gaza aid lorries go through heavy security as Egyptian shipments arrive



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The city of Al Arish, which had held significant volumes of aid bound for Gaza, finds itself oddly quiet four days after a ceasefire deal allowed the entry of humanitarian assistance to resume. The lifting of restrictions under the truce has sparked an increase in aid shipments travelling to the Rafah crossing, with lorries lining the roads leading to Egypt's border with Gaza.

Since the war in Gaza began on October 7 2023, Al Arish has served as the main city for aid destined for the enclave, with supplies piling up in warehouses and storage units amid Israeli restrictions on the border.

“All the action is at Rafah now,” said an Egyptian Red Crescent officer in the city. “No more lorries must come and unload or wait here in Al Arish. The crossing is fully open now, so they usually go straight there and wait outside there instead of coming here.”

Shipments of blankets, undergarments and winter clothes have continued to enter Gaza through Egypt since Sunday, according to Abdo Nasr, a driver at the Rafah border crossing delivering a shipment of blankets.

Drivers of the large aid lorries, sent to the Egypt-Gaza border since the start of the war, have had to endure long wait times at the border due to repeated closures of the crossing by the Israeli military, which has been in control of the Rafah crossing since May.

“It’s a really hard job but it’s only a small part of what we have to do for our Palestinian brothers to whom I want to offer my deepest apologies that we couldn’t do more to stop their suffering. So many of them were killed. I am happy to be a part of getting whatever Palestinians need for them in Gaza, it makes me proud,” Mr Nasr said.

Ibrahim Asaad, 34, is parked near the entrance of the Tahya Misr tunnel in Ismailia, which cuts under the Suez Canal and into the Sinai Peninsula. He has been waiting in a queue of what he described as “thousands of lorries” for the past two days. He is waiting on clearance from Egypt’s General Intelligence Service (GIS) to cross into Sinai. Mr Asaad is carrying World Food Programme food packages, which he loaded from a warehouse in Cairo, according to his shipment manifesto which he shared with The National.

The shipments were sent to Egypt by the WFP on October 2 but have been in storage since due to border closures.

Clearance from the GIS to enter the Sinai Peninsula is a routine procedure, even for tourists. The GIS has been one of the main Egyptian agencies involved in ceasefire talks and handles the movement and security permits of both people and goods in and out of Gaza, in co-ordination with the Israeli army.

The drivers of the aid lorries are employed by contractors who are granted rights by the government to distribute aid, a representative from Sina Scape, a company sending WFP food packages to Gaza, told The National. Relief is also sent by charities.

Once they arrive in Rafah, drivers are given a number and wait before entering Gaza.

Queues and searches

“We, the drivers, are not entirely clear on who gets to enter first and for what reasons. We are sure that it is not on a first come first serve basis, because some contractors’ lorries enter with minimal searches while others wait for weeks and months to enter,” said Mr Nasr.

When it is their turn to enter, they are notified by their company and are asked to drive to the crossing, where they are searched by the Egyptian military first then once again by representatives of Abnaa Sina – a trading and contracting firm owned by the pro-government Bedouin magnate Ibrahim Al Organi.

“After the military is done with searching us, we drive a little further down where agents in vests that read Abnaa Sina and Al Organi Group search us again. These searches are different from the military checkpoints because they are usually searching for contraband being snuck into Gaza that previous checks might have missed,” said Mr Asaad.

“Many drivers had made a habit throughout the war of smuggling cigarettes into Gaza. There had been shortages inside the strip and cigarettes were being sold for US dollars to agents inside. Many have been caught by the military or Al Organi’s people,” he claimed.

Once past the searches, the lorries proceed to Israeli inspection points, which often present a challenge.

Ahmed Husseiny, a driver waiting at Rafah with a shipment of shoes, said he had been parked at the border for 20 days as part of the group of vehicles awaiting entry into the enclave before the ceasefire.

Mr Husseiny described the unpredictable nature of the crossing in December, with the Israelis allowing only a handful of lorries through each day. “Some days, the Israelis would close the crossing and we would have to wait. Some days, they would allow in two or three lorries. Other days they would allow a little more or a little less.”

After entering through the Awga border crossing on Sunday night and waiting at the inspection unit until Monday morning, Mr Husseiny said he was denied entry and was asked to return to the Egyptian side to obtain a new queue number. He believes this was due to an altercation with an Israeli soldier who accused him of trying to run him over, an allegation he denies.

“The Israeli officer who searched my documents was very rude and aggressive. They are often that way. Very rough and always ready to take offence,” he said. Upon returning to the Egyptian side, an intelligence officer reviewed security footage from the incident and cleared Mr Husseiny to rejoin the queue.

After passing the Israeli checkpoints, the aid lorries currently unload their cargo at the Karam Abu Salem, where it is transferred to UN vehicles for distribution within the enclave. However, this process is expected to change soon, as the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing undergoes repairs after damage sustained during Israeli bombardments.

The Egyptian Red Crescent officer reported that between 10 and 15 lorries carrying construction equipment, including bulldozers, cranes and building materials, entered Gaza to allow the repair work. The crossing is anticipated to be operational by Sunday.

During a media conference in Rafah on Tuesday, North Sinai Governor Khaled Megawer announced that the border crossing was no longer closed. However, he said repairs were necessary before aid shipments could resume to the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, rather than at Karem Abu Salem under Israeli supervision.

This shift marks a return to the prewar aid delivery process, where drivers would cross directly to the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing to unload their cargo without the additional step of passing through an Israeli-controlled checkpoint.

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding

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Company profile

Name: Steppi

Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic

Launched: February 2020

Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year

Employees: Five

Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai

Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings

Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
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What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

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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.”

Essentials

The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours 
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.

UAE-based players

Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim

Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza

Things Heard & Seen

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Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
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  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months

Profile of Udrive

Date started: March 2016

Founder: Hasib Khan

Based: Dubai

Employees: 40

Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.

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Suggested picnic spots

Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
 
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes 

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Updated: January 22, 2025, 11:14 AM