Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Al Jazeera news network, based in Qatar, has condemned Israel’s killing of Hossam Shabat, the channel's correspondent in Gaza, calling it a “heinous crime” that was part of “the Israeli occupation’s systematic killing of journalists”.
Mr Shabat was killed when his car was hit in an air strike in Jabalia on Monday. Israel’s military claimed he was a “sniper terrorist from the Beit Hanoun battalion of the Hamas terrorist organisation, who cynically posed as an Al Jazeera journalist”.
His killing is the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on journalists that have taken place throughout the Gaza war, mostly in the enclave. More than 200 media workers have been killed in the strip since October 2023, the Government Media Office in Gaza has said. The Committee to Protect Journalists' latest toll is more than 170 journalists and media workers killed since the start of the Israeli war.
"Hossam joined the network’s journalists and correspondents killed during the ongoing war on Gaza, including Samer Abudaqa, Hamza Al Dahdouh, Ismail Al Ghoul and Ahmed Al Louh," Al Jazeera said.
Israel often accuses journalists in Gaza, including some working for Al Jazeera, of being operatives of Hamas or other Palestinian militant groups.
In a prewritten post on X intended to be published in the event of his death, Mr Shabat said: “If you’re reading this, it means I have been killed – most likely targeted – by the Israeli occupation forces.
"I documented the horrors in northern Gaza minute by minute, determined to show the world the truth they tried to bury. I slept on pavements, in schools, in tents – anywhere I could. Each day was a battle for survival. I endured hunger for months, yet I never left my people’s side. By God, I fulfilled my duty as a journalist,” he added.
“I ask you now: do not stop speaking about Gaza. Do not let the world look away. Keep fighting, keep telling our stories – until Palestine is free.”
Israel’s military said of Mr Shabat that “internal Hamas documents were revealed, proving that he participated in military training conducted by the Beit Hanoun Battalion of Hamas in 2019”. It also claimed he had "carried out terrorist attacks against Israeli troops and civilians".
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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
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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