GAZA CITY // They say necessity is the mother of invention. It is an idiom 1.4 million Gazans are being forced to live every day, and with petrol and diesel now a scarce and expensive commodity, many have had to find alternative means to power their cars. Sometimes, though, the measures leave a lingering stench. Maher Matas, 47, feeds his nine children by carrying passengers in a shared taxi from outside Gaza City's Shifa Hospital. But his 16-year-old, eight-seat stretch diesel Mercedes-Benz reeks like a falafel stand after midnight. And the engine, he complained, is wearing out.
Mr Matas is running his car on cooking oil. With a complete Israeli blockade on fuel supplies to Gaza, there is neither diesel nor petrol at fuel stations and for those like Mr Matas who depend on their vehicles for a living, it is the only option. It works … just, he said. "It coughs, it splutters, it sounds like someone is dying," Mr Matas said about his car, holding up empty cans of the soybean chip frying oil he last used to fill the tank. "It stinks and it destroys the engine. But it works."
It does not deter his passengers. Gaza's streets are fast emptying of private vehicles as tanks run dry. The Hamas police have taken to riding horses. People have no choice but to crowd into whatever taxis are still on the streets. Passengers, Mr Matas said, "no longer complain about the smell, or if, instead of taking seven passengers, I take nine or more". The Gaza Strip has long been an impoverished and overcrowded strip of land. But since the Aqsa intifada broke out in 2000 and especially since Israel enforced a blockade on goods reaching the strip after Hamas won parliamentary elections in January 2006, the situation has worsened.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a looming humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that unemployment here now hovers at a little more than 35 per cent while poverty affects nearly 80 per cent of Gazans. And the situation is only getting worse. Two weeks ago, Israel completely halted fuel and diesel deliveries to the Strip after Islamic Jihad militants attacked the Israeli fuel terminal across the border from Gaza and killed two employees. Israel also cut the fuel supply to Gaza's sole power plant by half.
On Tuesday, Gaza fuel officials warned that the power station would run out of fuel last night if supplies were not resumed, and said reserves of industrial-grade fuel have dwindled to 400,000 litres since Israel halted fuel deliveries. Should the plant close down, 30 per cent of Gaza's electricity supply would be cut. The threatened shutdown of the Gaza Strip's only power plant was averted yesterday after Israel agreed to pump 980,000 litres of diesel fuel to the territory, enough to run the plant for at least three days. But it is cold comfort for Gazans, with fuel for private consumption now fetching 30 shekels (Dh32) a litre on the black market, five times the normal price.
Mr Matas said Gazans were "magicians" for still managing to cope with such shortages. Samir Naja, 45, manager of the Akila fast food restaurant, was a little less equivocal. "We know how to survive," he said. "But we should be allowed to live in dignity like anyone else." About two weeks ago, when Israel imposed its total closure on any fuel reaching Gaza, he found people turning up at his restaurant before closing time asking him for any leftover falafel oil.
"There is maybe a litre, maximum two, left at the end of the day. Normally I would throw it out. Now I just give it to whoever comes first. If they want to run their cars on it, why not? Personally, I think it's disgusting. It's unhealthy and it stinks horribly." The Akila restaurant uses a mixture of sunflower and corn oil. To be used as fuel, Mr Naja said, it works best after it has been cooked. But the cooking oil is still heavier than diesel, and it clogs up the exhaust and eventually ruins the engine.
And cooking oil only works for diesel engines. If your car runs on petrol, cooking gas is the solution. Ahed Hamadeh, 25, learned his trade as a mechanic in Egypt. There he also picked up a useful tip on how to convert a petrol engine to run on gas. It is a simple procedure, he said, and takes no more than one to three hours. Once installed, the converter is connected to a gas canister, either a little one inside the car or a larger 12-litre gas cylinder more commonly used for ovens that is put in the back and from which a pipe is run to the front.
Unlike the smelly and messy cooking oil in diesel engines, the gas converter is clean and does not ruin the engine. A small car can go as far as 180km to 200km on a 12-litre cylinder, Mr Hamadeh said, and gas is cheaper than petrol. Not surprisingly, Mr Hamadeh has no complaints about the amount of work at his Wafa shop, where a conversion costs 1,300 shekels. "Work is good. I convert about five cars a week these days. It used to be better though. Almost all cars are now converted. A few weeks ago I was doing 15 to 20 conversions a week."
Tawfiq al Kerem, 37, a medical engineer is a satisfied customer. He converted his car two months ago and said he never wants to go back to petrol. Gas, he said, is "better and cheaper". "I am very proud," he said, as Mr Hamadeh was adjusting the flow of gas from the canister in the back of Mr Kerem's car to the engine. "I think this shows that Gazans are steadfast and clever. I'm sure we'll be running our cars on water soon."
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The%20specs
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The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
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
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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.