Sheikh Abdullah discusses Gaza crisis with leader of Israeli opposition

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Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has met Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid to discuss the crisis in Gaza.

Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Lapid discussed the latest developments in the region, with the UAE minister stressing the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, state news agency Wam reported on Thursday morning.

Israel’s war in Gaza, since the Hamas attacks on October 7 that killed about 1,200 people, is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of close to 35,000 Palestinians with more than 77,700 injured.

"[Sheikh Abdullah] pointed out the urgent importance of pushing towards finding a serious political horizon to resume negotiations to achieve comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution," Wam reported.

Sheikh Abdullah also spoke of the need to reach a ceasefire to avoid the conflict spreading across the region and ensure the end of escalating violence.

Arab and European ministers call for ‘irreversible’ two-state solution for Palestine

The priority is to end tension and violence, protect the lives of civilians and make all efforts to facilitate the flow of urgent humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip, he said.

So far the UAE has provided Palestinian people with aid totalling more than 22,436 tonnes, sent via 220 cargo planes and three ships. The relief packages were collected in the Egyptian city of Al Arish then brought into the Gaza Strip via lorries through the Rafah crossing.

Sole survivors

Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners

Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)