Israel has claimed a double strike on a Gaza hospital that killed 20 people, including five journalists, was a "tragic mishap", amid global condemnation of its actions.
The attack on Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Monday left dozens wounded.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said it “deeply regrets” the strike, calling it a “tragic mishap”.
“Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation,” the statement said.
Most of Gaza's hospitals have been left in ruins by strikes in the past two years, and there will be deep scepticism of the Israeli statement.
"I'm not happy about it," US President Donald Trump said when he was informed of the attack on the hospital. "I don't want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that ... nightmare," he said of the war in Gaza.
The journalists were Hussam Al Masri, a photographer with Reuters; Mohammad Salama, a cameraman for Al Jazeera TV channel; Mariam Dagga, a freelancer with AP; Ahmed Abu Aziz, who worked for Quds Feed; and Moaz Abu Taha.
Reuters confirmed the death of Mr Al Masri and said another photographer, Hatem Khaled, who was also a Reuters contractor, was injured. A spokesman for Al Jazeera TV confirmed Mr Salama's death.
“Al Jazeera Media Network condemns, in the strongest possible terms, this horrific crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces, who have directly targeted and assassinated journalists as part of a systematic campaign to silence the truth,” the broadcaster said.
The Associated Press said Ms Dagga, 33, had contributed as a freelancer to the agency, as well as other news outlets, since the Gaza war began. She reported on Al Nasser Hospital doctors struggling to save children who were dying from starvation, it said.
The UN said journalists and hospitals should never be the targets of attacks. "The killing of journalists in Gaza should shock the world – not into stunned silence but into action, demanding accountability and justice," UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. "Journalists are not a target. Hospitals are not a target."
Earlier in August, Israel acknowledged killing six journalists in a strike on a tent near Gaza city. Five of them belonged to an Al Jazeera crew. The Committee to Protect Journalists said more than 180 journalists have been killed since the war started on October 7, 2023.
Rights advocates said at the time that Anas Al Sharif, one of the journalists killed, was attacked for his frontline reporting on the war. Describing him as “one of Gaza's bravest journalists”, Al Jazeera said the attack was a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza”.
Hamas denounced the latest attacks, calling them a “war crime and horrific massacre”.
The Foreign Press Association called for an “immediate explanation” on the incident from the Israeli military and the prime minister's office.
“We call on Israel once and for all to halt its abhorrent practice of targeting journalists,” the group added.
Wave of attacks
Earlier on Monday, the Gaza Health Ministry said a strike hit the fourth floor of Al Nasser Hospital, followed by a second attack when ambulance and civil defence crews arrived to retrieve the injured and the bodies of the dead.
The ministry said patients, medical staff and civil defence members were among those killed. Gaza's civil defence had said one of its rescuers was killed and seven more were injured while trying to help the wounded and recover the dead.
The head of the World Health Organisation called for an end to attacks on healthcare infrastructure. "While people in Gaza are being starved, their already limited access to health care is being further crippled by repeated attacks," WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. "We cannot say it loudly enough: stop attacks on health care. Ceasefire now."
He added that 50 people had been wounded in the strikes, including critically ill patients at the hospital.
Also on Monday, at least nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip, official news agency Wafa reported.
A medical source at Al Shifa Hospital said five people from one family were killed and several more were injured in a strike on a house in the Al Karama area of Gaza city. A woman was killed and seven injured in a strike on a tent sheltering displaced people in Al Mawasi, near Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Three were killed in an attack on a team in charge of bringing food to Deir Al Balah in central Gaza.
Another 11 people died of malnutrition in the 24 hours to Monday, the Health Ministry said, taking the total to 300, including 117 children. The UN officially declared a famine in Gaza on Friday, blaming “systematic obstruction” of food and aid deliveries by Israel during more than 22 months of war.
A UN report warned the famine would extend to Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis in the south by the end of September. Malnutrition had already affected more than 132,000 children under the age of five as of June, including 41,000 severe cases, it said.
Israel's war on Gaza has killed more than 62,740 Palestinians and injured at least 158,255 since October 7, 2023, the enclave's Health Ministry said.
Israel has pressed ahead with plans to occupy Gaza city despite an international outcry, saying that taking the territory's largest city is key to defeating Hamas.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen burst into southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostage. Israel's war on Gaza has since killed more than 62,740 Palestinians and has left much of the territory in ruins.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
