Since the Israel-Gaza war began seven weeks ago, the four-day truce between the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas has provided the most promise so far, with the staggered release of hostages taken from Israel on October 7 in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees, some of whom are minors and have spent years incarcerated in Israeli prisons on seemingly arbitrary charges and others without any charge.
Since Friday, when the truce began, 41 of nearly 240 hostages have been released. Hamas still holds the majority captive. In exchange for the hostage release, 78 Palestinian detainees have been freed from Israeli prisons. By the end of the truce on Monday, and under the terms of the agreement, 50 Israeli hostages should be freed and 150 Palestinians released from Israeli jails.
Despite the delay in the prisoner exchange and the fragile nature of the truce, the relief to families and civilians on both sides lends hope, even as several dozens more families in Gaza and Israel remain anxious and waiting for an end to this ordeal.
Ideally, a short truce would lay the groundwork for a longer period of calm and the urgently required talks between the representatives of Palestine and Israel to revive the Middle East peace process. But the Israeli government's statement that its military offensive in Gaza will resume after this first pause in fighting lapses puts a cap on any optimism or productive outcomes.
Israel's military command has clearly stated that the offensive will resume. Adm Daniel Hagari said the war “would not stop until Hamas has been dismantled”, after the army’s chief of staff, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, told Israeli soldiers that “at the end of the operational pause, we will return promptly to our operations and offensive in Gaza”.
And yet, the dire reality for civilians in Gaza is unchanged. They need, at the very least, longer pauses in fighting and the continued delivery of aid, including of fuel, as has been seen in the past few days. They also need an end to this tragic chapter that has claimed the lives of more than 14,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 children. That number does not need to rise further. But only when the fighting stops for a meaningful length of time can there be a return to negotiations, with the ultimate aim of reaching a mutually agreed two-state solution that remains vital to ending the decades-long conflict.
The majority of members of the international community is beginning to recognise the untenability of Israel's continued occupation and control of the Palestinian territories. As European leaders convene in Barcelona today to discuss the crisis with their Arab and Mediterranean counterparts, the meeting is yet another reminder for the rest of the world to exert sustained pressure on the stakeholders in the conflict to return to dialogue. Discussions around the future of Palestine are inevitably going to be fraught with challenges but they are necessary, nonetheless.
The absence of the US and Israel in the Barcelona discussions does little to enable the cause of peace, but it is still the mandate of global leaders to channel diplomatic efforts towards ending this war, and keeping international attention on the crisis. Even as ultimately the participation of Israel and the US in negotiations for a two-state solution is essential, high-level diplomatic talks have to be a starting point.
This is particularly urgent as villages, refugee camps and settlements in the other Occupied Territories, notably in West Bank, continue to be riven with violence, bloodshed and lawlessness, due to the excesses of the Israeli armed forces and illegal settlers attempting to drive Palestinians out of their land.
The flicker of hope that has been kindled with the first group of hostages and prisoners returning home cannot be extinguished without a strong bid and a workable plan for peace.
Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
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."
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'
Bournemouth 1
Wilson 44'
Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Day 3, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Just three balls remained in an exhausting day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers when they were afforded some belated cheer. Nuwan Pradeep, unrewarded in 15 overs to that point, let slip a seemingly innocuous delivery down the legside. Babar Azam feathered it behind, and Niroshan Dickwella dived to make a fine catch.
Stat of the day - 2.56 Shan Masood and Sami Aslam are the 16th opening partnership Pakistan have had in Tests in the past five years. That turnover at the top of the order – a new pair every 2.56 Test matches on average – is by far the fastest rate among the leading Test sides. Masood and Aslam put on 114 in their first alliance in Abu Dhabi.
The verdict Even by the normal standards of Test cricket in the UAE, this has been slow going. Pakistan’s run-rate of 2.38 per over is the lowest they have managed in a Test match in this country. With just 14 wickets having fallen in three days so far, it is difficult to see 26 dropping to bring about a result over the next two.
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
