Israel last week allowed the entry of medical and building equipment into the blockaded Gaza Strip for an advanced hospital to be set up with no Palestinian consultation.
The American field hospital was previously erected in Syria, news outlet Al Monitor reported.
It is being set up over four hectares in the Palestinian enclave as part of a truce agreement between Hamas and Israel, with Qatari funding and under Qatari supervision, sources said.
Gaza’s healthcare system has suffered along with other public services under Israel’s blockade and is in need of assistance.
But the exclusion of Palestinian officials from its planning, the decision to build it near the Israeli border and the conditions under which it will operate have raised concerns.
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank questioned the motives behind the hospital, while Gazans are wondering why it will be in the north when the real need for medical care is in southern Gaza.
"There are already enough advanced hospitals in northern Gaza, from Al Awda hospital to the Indonesian hospital to Sheikh Hamad hospital and many others," said Issa Ahmed, a social worker from the southern city of Rafah.
"Why would they build another one there?"
Wael Abu Omer, an official from the Hamas group that rules Gaza, the location was decided by Israel, the US and Qatar.
"For more than five years there has been great popular and official pressure to build such a hospital in Rafah, home to more than 250,000 people without a single decent hospital," Mr Abu Omer said.
"However, at Israel's and the [US] insistence, it will be built in the north instead."
An Israeli security source said in July that Israel wanted the hospital at an "arm's length" from the northern perimeter fence near the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing.
He said that would allow Israel to closely monitor "who is working there and who the patients are in the wards”, with troops stationed on nearby watchtowers.
Israeli soldiers fired warning shots at people who approached the building site last week, even though it stands on Gazan territory.
Hassan Ismael, one of the journalists present, said only officials from the Qatari committee for the construction of Gaza were allowed into the site.
The hospital will be independent from Gaza's health department, with some co-ordination through a third party that has not yet been decided, an official from the territory's Health Ministry told The National.
"It will be staffed with an international medical team that won't be supervised or controlled by Hamas or the PA,” the official said.
They said residents would be admitted only by referral if the treatment they needed was not available in other local hospitals.
"Why should we go through this humiliation to simply get to a hospital built inside Gaza?" asked Ibrahim Haniya, a political analyst.
"Israel and the donors are using our humanitarian needs to blackmail us into silence and passivity.
"They want the hospital to be independent and next to their border crossing to remind us that they could take it away the minute we walk out of line."
The Palestinian Authority on Thursday voiced concern that the project, "with the blessing and support of the US administration", was to "permanently separate the West Bank from the Gaza Strip".
Gazans referred for treatment in the better equipped hospitals of the West Bank are among the few Palestinians allowed to cross from the blockaded Strip to the occupied territories.
The PA fears that the new hospital will end the need for Gazans to seek help in the West Bank, further separating the two territories.
Israel built a similar field hospital near the Erez crossing in its 2014 war on Gaza, in which 2,251 Palestinians were killed and 11,231 wounded.
Israeli soldiers tried to persuade wounded Palestinians to get treatment there or in Israel rather than go to PA-controlled hospitals in East Jerusalem.
"The field hospital aims to avert international criticism of Israel's blockade," said Ali Omer, a Gazan analyst.
"It will allow Israel to further isolate Gaza and prevent patients from seeking medical treatment outside it without any consequences or outcry."
The PA also questioned the real purpose behind the hospital, after the US administration withdrew funding to Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem.
"If the project was innocent and aims to serve our people, why aren’t the existing hospitals of the Gaza Strip being developed?" the authoritty asked.
"If this project was innocent, why is it being planned secretly?"
Adding to concerns is a recent report in Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which said Israeli defence officials were worried that "the serious condition of Gaza's health system – on the verge of collapse – would make it difficult for the Israeli army to fight in the Strip for long and could lead to intense international intervention".
Many Gazans now speculate that the field hospital is merely a means to address this issue for the Israeli army.
"Field hospitals are usually built in wartime," Mr Omer said. "This prompts Gazans to ask, 'Why are the US and Qatar building a field hospital now?'"
These concerns have led Gazans to call the medical centre "the war hospital", reflecting their fear that it signifies an imminent, large-scale Israeli military operation in the beleaguered enclave.
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
1st Test July 26-30 in Galle
2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo
3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele
More coverage from the Future Forum
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
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.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
1.
|
United States
|
2.
|
China
|
3.
|
UAE
|
4.
|
Japan
|
5
|
Norway
|
6.
|
Canada
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
8.
|
Australia
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
Ponti
Sharlene Teo, Pan Macmillan
The specs: 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Price, base / as tested Dh207,846 / Dh220,000
Engine 6.2L V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque 624Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined 13.5L / 100km
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000
On sale: now
Avatar%3A%20The%20Way%20of%20Water
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
MATCH INFO
Delhi Daredevils 174-4 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians 163 (19.3 ovs)
Delhi won the match by 11 runs
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000