Dozens of masked gunmen stormed a UN-run Gaza summer camp today and burnt it to the ground, threatening "harsh measures" against the Gaza director of the UN refugee agency.
The attackers assaulted a guard, tied him up and left a letter with four bullets threatening UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Gaza director John Ging, according to agency spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna.
"The armed men torched the camp, which contained recreational equipment and (plastic) swimming pools, and completely destroyed it," Abu Hasna said, adding that UNRWA had planned to open the camp in the middle of next month.
Abu Hasna said the gunmen blocked Gaza's main coastal highway before destroying the facility, one of the largest of several summer camps across the territory catering to some 250,000 Palestinian refugee children.
No one claimed the attack but it appeared to have been carried out by Islamic extremists who have attacked Western symbols in Gaza in the past and are opposed to the camps because they allow boys and girls to mingle.
Mr Ging later told reporters that the attack was carried out by people with an "extremist mentality" and vowed to continue his agency's work in Gaza.
"UNRWA will not be intimidated by these attacks. UNRWA will repair this location," he said.
Gaza's Hamas-run police force was investigating the incident, and interior ministry spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein said "the action is strongly condemned and those behind it will be held accountable."
Hamas has done little to impose Islamic law in Gaza, but smaller and more radical groups have carried out a string of bombings of beauty parlours, coffee shops, Christian institutions and Internet cafes.
UNRWA provides food aid, education and health services to Gaza's more than one million registered Palestinian refugees, two thirds of the population of the impoverished coastal strip.
It has been a key source of humanitarian aid to Gaza since Israel and Egypt tightened border closures in the wake of the Islamist Hamas movement's violent takeover of the territory in June 2007.
* AFP
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
South Africa's T20 squad
Duminy (c), Behardien, Dala, De Villiers, Hendricks, Jonker, Klaasen (wkt), Miller, Morris, Paterson, Phangiso, Phehlukwayo, Shamsi, Smuts.
Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
Scores
Day 2
New Zealand 153 & 56-1
Pakistan 227
New Zealand trail by 18 runs with nine wickets remaining
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)
Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)
Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)
Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
