Israeli troops have been accused of shooting Palestinians who approached a food bank with their hands up, in the bloodiest incident yet linked to aid deliveries to Gaza.
One witness told The National that “gunfire erupted from all directions” as thousands of people surrounded a convoy bringing flour into Gaza on Sunday. Officials in the strip said 93 people were killed.
The witness, Musab Abu Omer, said his family and friends “rushed out from our home” after hearing that lorries carrying flour had arrived as food supplies ran low during an Israeli blockade.
“We hadn’t had white bread in more than 14 days. Imagine what it means to go that long without even basic food,” he said.
When his relatives arrived, thousands of people were waiting, Mr Abu Omer said. But, as people approached the lorries, gunfire began and shells fell on the crowd, he said. He was shot in the leg and fell to the ground, unable to see his companions.
Later, he learnt that four of the young men who had come with him, his cousin and three friends, all under 30, had been killed. “They went out just to feed their families. This is what happened to them,” he said. “The world has been watching us starve for months.”
Israel disputed the death toll and said its troops fired warning shots to “remove an immediate threat”. The World Food Programme said the convoy had entered through the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza after assurances from Israel that armed forces would not be present.
Rami Abdo, director of the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, described the incident as “a deliberate act of murder.” According to his organisation's documentation, Israeli forces ordered civilians to approach with their hands raised in a clear gesture of surrender, then opened fire as they moved forward.
“This was not crossfire. This was a massacre,” Mr Abdo told The National. “It reveals the true face of the occupation, a calculated attempt to eliminate a population through starvation, killing, and forced displacement.”
Witnesses report that others are missing at the scene, their bodies inaccessible as the threat of gunfire remains in the area. The testimonies come as Israel widens its offensive in Gaza into the Deir Al Balah area.
Hunger in Gaza
Palestinian aid agency UNRWA reports that all residents of Gaza are now suffering from malnutrition, with widespread food insecurity and starvation. Ismail Al Thawabta, the director of the Government Media Office in Hamas-run Gaza, said the strip “has entered dangerous levels of deliberate famine, with no intervention from the international community”.
Since October 7, 2023, when the war began with Hamas's attack on Israel, dozens of children have died due to malnutrition, with a total of 620 people confirmed dead from starvation and lack of medicine, according to Gaza officials.
“In Gaza, food is no longer a right. It’s a distant dream,” Mr Al Thawabta said. “People search all day for something to eat and return empty-handed.”
Omar Hijazi, a 33-year-old father of five, spoke about the daily struggle for survival. “We can’t even find a single loaf of bread in a day,” he said.
“People are collapsing in the streets. We’re not talking about nutritious food any more, we’re just trying not to die.”
Like many others, Mr Hijazi said the war itself has faded into the background. “We don’t talk about bombs or martyrs. We talk about bread and hunger. Because hunger is killing us faster than anything else,” he told The National.
Human rights organisations have accused Israel of inflicting conditions that amount to war crimes under international law, including deliberate starvation of civilians. Israel blames Hamas for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Yet the international response remains paralysed, with little movement towards a ceasefire or emergency intervention.
“The entire world is watching the slaughter of Gaza and its killing through starvation and genocide, without moving a muscle or batting an eye, as if the people there are not human, and not covered by international agreements and conventions.” Mr Al Thawabta said.
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
