Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Gaza’s residents were in shock on Tuesday after overnight Israeli strikes across the territory claimed more than 400 lives and injured hundreds more, leaving hospitals overwhelmed with bodies and patients.
The strikes crushed hopes among Palestinian residents of Gaza that a two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas might continue, while some families of hostages still being held by the militant group accused the Israeli government of giving up on their return.
The death toll continued to rise throughout the day, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting 404 people killed by early afternoon, as well as 562 injured, including many in critical condition. More victims were believed to be buried under rubble.
Dr Mohammad Abu Salmiya, director of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, said people were also dying because of the lack of space to treat them. “Hundreds of martyrs and wounded individuals have been brought to hospitals that are already stretched beyond capacity, suffering from severe shortages of medicine and critical medical supplies,” he told The National.
“Our hospitals can no longer accommodate the rapidly increasing number of casualties. Operating rooms are completely full and many of the injured are dying simply because we cannot find an available bed for their treatment. All morgue refrigerators in hospitals are filled beyond capacity.”
The Israeli bombardment of Gaza city in the north and the Khan Younis and Rafah areas in the south came amid a stalemate in mediated talks to extend the ceasefire that began on January 19, bringing a pause to 15 months of war. Israel has blocked all aid deliveries to the devastated Palestinian enclave since the first phase of the truce ended on March 1.
“These attacks come as Gaza faces a catastrophic siege, with all border crossings completely sealed, exacerbating an already unprecedented humanitarian crisis,” Ismail Al Thawabta, director general of government media in Gaza, told The National.
He said the bombardment had “primarily targeted civilian areas and temporary government facilities, leading to the deaths of several children and women”.
“Many victims have yet to reach hospitals due to the dire humanitarian situation on the ground and the paralysis of transportation services caused by the lack of fuel across all governorates of Gaza,” he added.
Rami Radwan, 36, said he saw 10 tents on fire after strikes hit Al Mawasi in Khan Younis, where thousands of families displaced by the war now live in temporary shelters.
“When the bombing began last night, we initially thought it was a mistake or an isolated incident,” he told The National. "But as the air strikes continued, we were shocked to realise that the Israeli army had officially announced the resumption of military operations in Gaza, bringing war back once again.
“The tents that were struck were close to us – we saw them engulfed in flames, with the people inside unable to escape. Most of them were women, children and innocent civilians who had no involvement in anything,” said Mr Rami, who moved to the area with his family of seven after their home in eastern Khan Younis was destroyed in the war.
“This is terrifying," he added. "Losing our homes and loved ones was already unbearable, forcing us into a life of displacement in makeshift tents. But now, even here, Israel is hunting us down, bombing us in our tents, bringing us more death and destruction.”
Residents of Gaza are deeply concerned about the return of war, fearing a repetition of the horrors they endured during 15 months of fighting.
Samaah Aqel, 26, who returned to her home in Al Nasr neighbourhood of Gaza city after the ceasefire began, said she woke up in a panic when the air strikes began in the middle of the night.
“The moment we heard them, we knew the war had returned – and so had the horror,” she said. “We are terrified of what this war will bring – more killing, more death. We spent the entire war displaced, homeless, struggling to survive. When we finally returned to our homes in northern Gaza, we barely had time to settle in before the war started all over again.
“The fear inside us is overwhelming. We are constantly terrified, never knowing when our homes will be struck, when it will be our turn.”
Across the border in Israel, the largest group representing hostages held in Gaza said the heavy bombardment of Gaza meant that “the greatest fear of the families, the hostages and the citizens of Israel has come true”.
Hamas released about three dozen hostages in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinians in Israeli custody during the first stage of the ceasefire. It was due to hand over the remaining 59 captives in the second phase, of whom the Israeli military believes only 24 are still alive.
“The Israeli government has chosen to give up on the hostages … returning to fighting before the last hostage returns will come at the cost of the 59 hostages still in Gaza and could still be saved,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.
A separate right-wing group, the Tikva Forum, representing a smaller number of hostage families who want Israel to pursue its military campaign against Hamas, welcomed the resumption of air strikes.
“The past weeks have proven what we have been saying all along – Hamas will never return all the hostages willingly,” a statement from the group read. "Only massive military pressure, a complete blockade including cutting off electricity and water, and occupation of territories that will lead to Hamas's collapse will cause them to beg for a ceasefire and a deal that will return ALL the hostages together, in one stage.
“If the attack that began this morning continues with intensity and without interruption – we can bring all our loved ones home in one stage, on one bus.”
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
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
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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.
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500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
Brief scores:
Juventus 3
Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'
Frosinone 0
Jebel Ali results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
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2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m
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Specs
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
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Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
