Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The Israeli strike on a Gaza aid convoy highlights the risks humanitarian workers are taking and the failings of Israeli military procedures that are supposed to prevent such incidents.
Seven members of the humanitarian food organisation World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed on Monday after an Israeli drone struck three vehicles that had been travelling in a convoy in Deir Al Balah in central Gaza.
The vehicles were marked with WCK's logo and the charity had told the Israeli military of its planned movements through a “deconfliction” channel. Israel is investigating the strike but it appears WCK's message did not get through to the relevant military units.
“It's shocking that six months into this war, there's not a better deconfliction mechanism,” Dave Harden, a former mission director for USAID in the West Bank and Gaza, told The National.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday said a “thorough” investigation would be followed by implementation of “lessons learnt”, including the opening of a new situation room to better enable co-ordination with aid groups.
But Mr Harden said Israel promising to investigate itself is insufficient.
“An investigation is simply not enough,” he said.
“There has to be a systemic structure. A professional, accountable deconfliction system that has to be basically acceptable to the humanitarians. Without that, it doesn't mean anything."
Israel has killed dozens of aid workers in Gaza since the start of the conflict in October, but Monday's strike struck a raw nerve in Washington, where politicians know well the work of World Central Kitchen's founder Jose Andres, who runs several popular restaurants in the capital.
US President Joe Biden said he was "outraged" by the attack and demanded accountability.
About 200 aid workers killed
Israel's strike highlights a disregard for the safety of aid workers in the Gaza, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
“The multiplicity of such events is the inevitable result of the way this war is currently being conducted,” he told reporters.
Mr Dujarric said at least 196 humanitarian workers have been killed since October in Gaza, “one of the world's most dangerous and difficult place to work as a humanitarian”.
The UN keeps delivering aid on an ad hoc basis, which is “not a way to run a major aid operation”.
Mr Dujarric said although there was a deconfliction mechanism in place, it was not working properly.
“And this is why the Secretary General and all of the senior leaders at the UN continue to push for a humanitarian ceasefire so we can deliver aid safely,” he stressed.
According to World Central Kitchen, its team had been co-ordinating their movements with the Israeli military.
“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said chief executive Erin Gore.
UNRWA’s director of communications Juliette Touma told The National that the killing of the seven WCK aid workers was a “testament that no one is safe in Gaza, including aid workers, or even aid workers who are driving in armoured cars on a deconflicted route wearing their armoured gear, they are not protected.”
She said the UN agency was only able to provide aid to Gaza's northern region when the Israeli military gave them approval.
“We provide very detailed information on the movement of the humanitarian convoy that includes the names and nationalities of the members of the convoy, the number of vehicles, the content on of the convoy, what supplies are we carrying, the timing of the convoy, the route of the convoy including the GPS co-ordinates,” she said.
“We need more humanitarian aid, not less humanitarian aid, and there is an efficient, easy, fast, cheap, safe way to bring in food into Gaza and other types of systems and that's through the road.”
Ms Touma highlighted the critical need for Israel to allow more humanitarian supplies into Gaza, warning that the “clock is ticking very, very fast, towards famine.”
Chilling effect
Monday's attack will probably to have a chilling effect on other organisations distributing food and assistance across Gaza just as widespread famine is expected to take hold.
Adil Haque, law professor at Rutgers university, told The National, it’s “tragic but understandable” that aid groups are suspending operations in Gaza.
“The result is that Israel is violating international law twice over: first by carrying out illegal attacks, and second by preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid."
WCK said it was pausing its operations. American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera), which has been delivering food in the densely populated enclave and worked closely with WCK, have also suspended their efforts.
“If WCK and Anera are out of the picture and if other organisations that have access to those areas follow suit, it's just going to add fuel to this catastrophic fire that's already raging,” said Kate Phillips-Barrasso, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at the Mercy Corps non-profit group that has been operating in Gaza since 1986.
Since October 7, Mercy Corps operations have been gradually reduced with the situation deteriorating in Gaza. The group still has 60 members working in and around Rafah, but are unable to provide relief to those elsewhere in the enclave.
Ms Phillips-Barrasso praised WCK's efforts to provide desperately needed aid to other parts of Gaza.
WCK was one of two charities helping to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza through a maritime corridor as famine spreads across the enclave.
It worked with Open Arms to send the first aid ship from Cyprus last month.
The team had managed to deliver 100 tonnes of food aid brought through the corridor shortly before their convoy was hit, the NGO said.
South and West: From a Notebook
Joan Didion
Fourth Estate
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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- On sale: 2026
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If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What are the main cyber security threats?
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Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Results
2pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: Mouheeb, Tom Marquand (jockey), Nicholas Bachalard (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Honourable Justice, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
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4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Dark Of Night. Antonio Fresu, Al Muhairi.
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Habah, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
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Euro 2020 qualifier
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Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
