Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah early on Wednesday has been met with mixed emotions in Gaza, where many view it as a potential prelude to peace but others fear it will allow Israeli forces to concentrate on escalating operations in the enclave where war has been raging for more than a year.
The US-brokered truce halts Israel's brutal conflict with the Iran-backed group that has killed more than 3,700 people, with entire Lebanese villages wiped off the map. Cross-border attacks began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah intervened in Israel’s war on Gaza after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, but escalated into a full-blown war in September this year.
Numerous attempts at diplomacy to strike a truce in Gaza over the past year have come to nothing, bar a temporary ceasefire a year ago. Israel's war on the enclave has killed about 44,300 people, displaced the majority of the population and caused a widespread humanitarian crisis. But some Palestinians are clinging on to the hope that a ceasefire in Lebanon could pave the way for a similar agreement in Gaza.
"The occupation’s strategy has always been to separate the fronts, rejecting a comprehensive agreement,” Mohammed Abu Sam'an, a resident of Gaza who has been displaced to Khan Younis, told The National. He believes that by isolating Gaza from the front in Lebanon, Israel will now seek to reach a deal on its own terms.
“By securing a deal in Lebanon, Israel can now focus on Gaza on its terms, treating it as a defeated, easy-to-control party," he added. “What Lebanon did was wise, as it prevented further bloodshed and destruction, halting a torrent of violence that seemed endless without an agreement."
Hamas expressed its commitment to co-operate with any efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza after the agreement between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect. The Palestinian group said any agreement on Gaza must entail a full ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced people and a full prisoner swap deal.
The ceasefire agreement reached with Hezbollah in Lebanon could put pressure Israel over a truce in Gaza, Hamas's spokesman in Lebanon, Walid Al Kilani, told The National on Wednesday. He said the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push for renegotiation with the Palestinian group – which he said remained firm on its terms.
The Hamas official also welcomed the ceasefire with its ally Hezbollah, adding that the group is “not bothered” by the cessation of war in Lebanon.
Others are less optimistic that an agreement is on the horizon and feel abandoned in their predicament without Hezbollah's support. Many fear Israel will now escalate its military operations in Gaza. Israel had redeployed some of its forces to the north before it launched an invasion of Lebanon two months ago.
“Now, with no active land front besides Gaza, Israel may redeploy northern units to broaden its ground offensives here," said Yusuf Al Mousa, from Gaza city. He said he feared other areas could come under heavy bombardment similar to parts of northern Gaza, which have been subjected to relentless air strikes and been under siege since early last month.
"Many Gazans hoped Lebanon’s support over the past 13 months would help end the war," Mustafa Ibrahim, a political analyst, told The National. He emphasised that recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have added to fears, particularly as Israel seeks to achieve its objectives in Gaza unopposed.
“Netanyahu’s rhetoric about extending control over Gaza and expanding settlements alarms us,” Mr Ibrahim said, highlighting the “massacres” and displacement in northern Gaza. He said that although Israeli hostages continue to be held by Hamas in Gaza, international pressure to resolve the conflict remains weak. Without any major developments, Mr Ibrahim believes the war could drag on for months.
Mr Al Mousa echoed similar disappointment, wishing Hezbollah's front had remained active until an end to the war in Gaza was secured. “Together, both fronts could pressure the occupation. Gaza alone is weak and ill-equipped.”
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes on Gaza continued in the backdrop of the ceasefire announcement in Lebanon. Overnight strikes hit residential areas and schools housing displaced families. At least eight people were killed in a school in Gaza city, while three others were killed in an attack near Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north.
Low-level contact between mediators and Hamas leaders continues but communication has been limited to officials of the group outside Gaza, sources said. Those inside the Strip have been unreachable for weeks out of fear of detection by the Israelis, they added.
"It's unlikely that a Gaza ceasefire will be reached any time soon ... maybe after Trump takes office in January," said one source.
The sources said the Lebanon ceasefire deal will in many ways isolate Gaza, allowing Mr Netanyahu's government free rein in implementing its plans for the territory, including a buffer zone in the north of Gaza and holding on to the strip of land that runs alongside the Egypt-Gaza border, including the Rafah crossing.
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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."
The%20Letter%20Writer
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Naga
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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More on Quran memorisation:
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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The%20Iron%20Claw
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ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2010 Rafael Nadal
2011 Novak Djokovic
2012 Novak Djokovic
2013 Rafael Nadal
2014 Novak Djokovic
2015 Novak Djokovic
2016 Andy Murray
2017 Rafael Nadal
2018 Novak Djokovic
2019 Rafael Nadal
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Seven%20Winters%20in%20Tehran
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What%20is%20cystic%20fibrosis%3F
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The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
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ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
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.
Oppenheimer
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Fourth-round clashes for British players
- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)
- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Asia Cup Qualifier
Final
UAE v Hong Kong
Live on OSN Cricket HD. Coverage starts at 5.30am
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5