Large crowds gathered in the streets of Jenin camp on Wednesday to mourn the deaths of the 12 Palestinians killed during an Israeli military operation.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that those killed were aged between 16 and 22, and that 120 Palestinians had been injured, including 20 in a critical condition.
There were some angry scenes during processions, as footage circulating on social media showed crowds confronting senior Palestinian Authority officials, asking them to leave the funeral.
Earlier, Israel's Defence Minister said that all goals of the major two-day military operation in the northern West Bank city had been met.
Yoav Gallant also hinted at future operations, saying the raid was “not the final word, as far as we’re concerned”.
In addition to the 12 Palestinians, an Israeli soldier was killed in the assault on Jenin refugee camp, launched under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government.
The raid was the largest that Israel has conducted in the West Bank in more than two decades.
Despite Israeli troops fully withdrawing early in the morning, tension remained high in the region on Wednesday after a Palestinian gunman opened fire on a Samaritan community near the northern West Bank city of Nablus. No injuries were reported.
The attack came after Israel launched air strikes on the densely populated Gaza Strip in the morning following rocket fire from the Hamas-run enclave.
Israel amassed soldiers for Monday's operation and used bulldozers to tear up streets, forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee the camp, usually home to about 18,000 people.
The military also said it had killed at least 18 Palestinian gunmen.
Powerful helicopter gunships were used in the occupied West Bank for the first time in years and drones launched several strikes described by residents as “terrifying”.
On Wednesday, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported that nearly 80 per cent of homes in Jenin's refugee camp were “either destroyed, damaged or burnt” in the Israeli operation.
The city's mayor, Nidal Al Obeidi, said that almost one-third of the camp's residents fled the area during the operation.
While pulling back forces from Jenin on Tuesday, Israel warned that more operations were to come, while residents said they could still hear drones circling overhead on Wednesday morning.
Mr Netanyahu suggested on Tuesday that similar operations could take place.
His warning came the same day as UN human rights chief Volker Turk decried the week's violence.
“The killing, maiming and the destruction of property must stop,” Mr Volker said, adding that the week's events “worryingly underscore an all too familiar pattern of events: that violence only begets more violence”.
A call has been made for people in Jenin camp to help with clean-up efforts following the destruction of large parts of the heavily built-up area.
The US on Wednesday said it supported Israel's right to “defend” itself but added that “measures need to be taken to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground and restore critical services like electricity and water to the civilian population”, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Gaza attack
Early on Wednesday, the army said it had carried out air strikes on the Gaza Strip after it intercepted five rockets fired at Israeli territory.
A Palestinian security source said the missiles hit a Hamas military site in northern Gaza but no one was wounded.
Elsewhere, a car-ramming and stabbing incident in Tel Aviv on Tuesday wounded seven people before the attacker was shot dead.
During the raid, the army said it had uncovered militant hideouts, arms depots and an underground shaft used to store explosives.
“In the last five years, this is the worst raid,” said Qasem Benighader, a nurse at a hospital morgue.
The army said its forces had dismantled six explosives manufacturing centres and three operational situation rooms in Jenin, and confiscated large quantities of weapons.
“The weapons were located in hideouts, a mosque, pits concealed in civilian areas, operational situation rooms and in vehicles,” it said.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry labelled the escalation “open war against the people of Jenin”.
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders also condemned Israeli forces for firing tear gas inside Khalil Suleiman hospital in Jenin, calling it “unacceptable”.
Palestinian Health Minister Mai Al Kaila accused the army of shooting at Palestinians in a courtyard of the Jenin public hospital.
“Israel's aggression reached its climax this afternoon when citizens were shot at directly in the courtyard of Jenin hospital, wounding three, two of them seriously,” Ms Al Kaila said.
Forces had also stormed the Ibn Sina hospital, she added.
The Israeli army said there were reports on social media regarding fire by soldiers towards a hospital.
“The reports are not currently known to security forces,” it said. “Terrorist organisations have exploited civilian areas as a hideout.”
Shops in Jenin were shut amid a general strike and the near-empty streets littered with debris and burnt roadblocks.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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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
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
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
