The US and several Arab allies are in talks with Israel on organising aid flights to drop humanitarian assistance into Gaza to reduce the worsening hunger crisis gripping the enclave, sources told The National on Monday.
An Israeli official confirmed to The National that discussions were under way on airdropping supplies in Gaza. The official said Israel was talking to three countries on the issue, but he declined to identify them or give further details.
The sources said the talks began on Sunday in Cairo and Doha between representatives of Israel on one side and those of the US, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan on the other.
Egyptian and Israeli officials were discussing the proposal in Cairo, while Qatari officials were talking in Doha with Israeli delegates, they added. Remote discussions were being held with the other parties.
The sources did not say whether the talks were making progress but they coincided with continuing negotiations in the Qatari capital on proposals for a 60-day truce in the Gaza war as well as a hostages-for-prisoners swap and the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
This would not mark the first time aid has been dropped since the war started in October, 2023, with the US, UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Britain and the Netherlands parachuting supplies. The airdrops were halted due to safety concerns.
The last airdrop was by the UAE in October last year, as part of Birds of Goodness operation.
In some cases, chasing and fighting over them by hungry Palestinians led to injuries and, in at least one case, caused one person to drown when they landed in the Mediterranean off Gaza's coast.
It was unclear whether the current consideration to return to humanitarian airdrops were looking into a different mechanism to avoid injuries and ensure a fair distribution of the dropped supplies. Despite the challenges of parachuting supplies and the safety concern, the fact that it is on the table as an option reflects the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The UN's Palestinian aid agency UNRWA says Gaza residents are now suffering from malnutrition, with widespread food insecurity and starvation.
Ismail Al Thawabta, director of the government media office in Gaza, said the strip “has entered dangerous levels of deliberate famine, with no intervention from the international community”.
Dozens of children have died due to malnutrition since the start of the war, with a total of 620 people confirmed dead from starvation and lack of medicine, according to Gaza officials.
Underlining the despair among Gazans, the death of civilians seeking aid has become a regular occurrence in the tiny enclave, with the authorities blaming Israeli fire as crowds facing chronic shortages of food and other essentials flock in huge numbers to aid centres.
On Sunday, Israeli troops opened fire on crowds trying to collect humanitarian aid, killing 93 people and wounding dozens more in what was one of the bloodiest days for aid seekers in weeks.
The Palestinian Health Ministry on Monday said more than 1,000 aid seekers had been killed in May.
The Gaza war was caused by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that left about 1,200 people dead. The assailants also took about 250 others hostage of whom about 50 remain in captivity, including 20 who are believed to be still alive.
Israel's military response has killed nearly 59,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the ministry in Gaza.
Now in their third week, the Doha talks on a ceasefire have stalled after initially making progress. The issues which remain between Israel and Hamas include the extent of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, distribution of aid and the prominent Palestinians Hamas wants to see freed from Israeli prisons along with hundreds of others in return for releasing the hostages it has.
Thomas Helm in Jerusalem contributed to this report
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETHE%20SPECS%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EEngine%3A%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3ETransmission%3A%209-speed%20automatc%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20279hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20350Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh250%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
AL%20BOOM
%3Cp%20style%3D%22text-align%3Ajustify%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3BDirector%3AAssad%20Al%20Waslati%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%20style%3D%22text-align%3Ajustify%3B%22%3E%0DStarring%3A%20Omar%20Al%20Mulla%2C%20Badr%20Hakami%20and%20Rehab%20Al%20Attar%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20ADtv%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Political flags or banners
-
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
The biog
Favourite book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Favourite music: Classical
Hobbies: Reading and writing
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
