Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
In Gaza, where Palestinians are going for entire days without eating due to lack of food, uncertainty casts a long shadow over any promise of aid or relief.
As families run out of supplies, prices in the few markets that remain open have skyrocketed and few can afford what little is available.
News has emerged that bakeries across the besieged strip might reopen soon, but for many, these remain just words, not yet bread.
“Until now there is no confirmation of reopening the bakery shops as the borders are still closed,” says Abdulnasser Al Ajrami, head of the Bakeries Committee in Gaza.
“As long as the borders are closed, the bakeries will remain closed. People are grinding macaroni into powder to bake bread. That’s how desperate things have become. ”
New proposals
Israel had proposed a plan that would create aid “hubs” controlling who gets what. But the UN and other groups have said they would not participate in a plan that compromises humanitarian principles.
“A plan where the humanitarian aid is being handled by one party to the conflict contravenes any humanitarian principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality,” Unicef's communications chief in Palestine, Jonathan Crickx, previously told The National.
On Friday, US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said Washington's plan for Gaza would not involve Israel distributing aid but merely providing military security.
At the centre of this initiative is David Beasley, a former governor of South Carolina and ex-executive director of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP). A Republican with a humanitarian profile, he is reportedly being positioned to lead an American-administered aid effort in Gaza.
Dhu Al Fiqar Suwayrjo, a political analyst, believes Mr Beasley’s potential selection signals a shift in American strategy.
“Beasley is not a military figure. He presents a softer image, a humanitarian face for the United States, a soft power,” he told The National. He believes the US is trying to convert Gaza into an operating base to manage its interests in the region.
But for others, this plan is more than just a strategy – it’s a threat.
Rawhi Fattouh, Speaker of the Palestinian National Council, condemned the US-Israeli aid initiative, calling it a “racist project” that aims to isolate Palestinians in controlled zones.
“This is not humanitarianism. This is humiliation and control,” Mr Fattouh said in a statement.
“They want to strip Palestinians of the basic necessities of life, humiliate them, and drive them towards forced displacement, all part of a broader scheme to liquidate the Palestinian cause.”
As competing narratives unfold, ordinary Palestinians remain trapped in limbo, caught between hunger and a complex geopolitical chessboard. Dozens of people have died of malnutrition-related conditions, the ministry of health has said.
Back in Gaza’s shuttered streets, the scent of baked bread has long faded. Until plans turn into action, Gazans wait hungry, wary and watching – trying to survive.
Racecard
6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m
8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m
10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
