‘No food, no drink, no water’: Misery in the south for refugees from Gaza city

Palestinians who fled Israel’s advance on Gaza city are arriving to hunger and despair in the south, despite Israeli claims that “generous humanitarian aid” would await them.

Under the scorching sun and the constant danger of hunger and thirst, thousands of displaced families in Gaza are struggling to survive in makeshift camps that offer little more than strips of cloth and wood for shelter.

Mohammed Ghabboun, 38, reluctantly left Gaza city for Deir Al Balah after Israel stepped up operations in his neighbourhood, Sheikh Radwan. “If a person is alone, they might manage somehow, but when you have a family and children, the burden is much heavier,” he said.

He recalls spending more than five days “literally in the open” before finding a spot in a camp along Gaza’s coast. With his wife and six children, he built a fragile tent from scraps of cloth and wood. No one, he says, has checked on them since.

“No food, no drink, no water,” was how Mr Ghabboun described his conditions.

“We’re sitting in extremely harsh conditions that no human being can endure. If it weren’t for the danger in our area, I would have gone back. But my children make me constantly think: if something happens to one of them, I will never forgive myself, nor those who brought us to this state.”

Israeli troops are mounting a new offensive to capture Gaza city, and have declared the entire area a “dangerous combat zone”, ordering civilians to leave. “Every family that relocates to the south will receive the most generous humanitarian aid,” the army claimed last month.

Many Palestinians were reluctant to leave despite a famine in Gaza city, fearing an Israeli design to relocate them permanently. But Israel has ramped up pressure on civilians to head for Al Mawasi area in the south.

One refugee in Al Mawasi, Ibrahim Abu Warda, 56, fled with 21 relatives – his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren – only for the family to find themselves crammed inside a tent far too small for their numbers.

“All the money we had, we spent on transporting our belongings and on the price of a tent,” he told The National. “Now, we can’t even find food. Since the start of the war, we have been dead, not living.”

The family had briefly returned home during a truce, believing their ordeal was over. But the resumption of violence forced them to leave once again. In Al Mawasi, Mr Abu Warda said, water is scarce, and aid rarely reaches the people who need it most.

“Everything gets stolen before it arrives. No one is checking on us,” he said. “I only hope the war ends as soon as possible, so we can return to our normal lives, go back to our homes, and live with stability, happiness, and peace.”

For Nasreen Al Ayyoubi, 34, a mother of four from Al Sabra area of Gaza city, displacement has been more humiliating than she could ever have imagined. “The conditions are harsher than a human being could ever describe,” she said.

“No proper water, no food, no aid, no bathrooms, nothing that preserves human dignity or feelings. Everything is humiliating people in ways no one can imagine.”

Ms Al Ayyoubi resisted leaving her home for weeks, hoping to avoid the indignities of camp life. But when the gunfire and shelling intensified in her neighbourhood, she and her family were forced to flee. They ended up in Deir Al Balah, pitching a tent on relatives’ land.

“Everything is far from basic services, no water, and we have to walk a kilometre just to bring some,” she explained. “We’ve been displaced for nine days now. The children haven’t bathed or cleaned properly because there’s no water and no hygiene supplies. We hear about aid, but we never see it.”

What remains, she said, is unbearable heat, suffocating air, and a life stripped of the most basic human needs.

Mohammed bin Zayed MajlisKilling of Qassem SuleimaniKilling of Qassem SuleimaniKILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANIThe five pillars of IslamThe specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsUAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsPaltan

Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5

OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAELKilling of Qassem SuleimaniAbout Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. “Let’s help others, but let’s take care of our own citizens first,” he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsKilling of Qassem SuleimaniUAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsKey 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.”
Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Killing of Qassem SuleimaniTO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

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

Specs

Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)

Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)

Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden | Dh80,000 |  1,600m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap |  Dh80,000 |  1,600m
Winner: AF Makerah, Adrie de Vries, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Handicap |  Dh80,000 |  2,200m
Winner: Hazeme, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle

6.30pm: Handicap |  Dh85,000 |  2,200m
Winner: AF Yatroq, Brett Doyle, Ernst Oertel

7pm: Shadwell Farm for Private Owners Handicap |  Dh70,000 |  2,200m
Winner: Nawwaf KB, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) |  Dh100,000 |  1,600m
Winner: Treasured Times, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey

Directed by: Pete Doctor

Rating: 4 stars

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos – a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as ‘the pride of victory’ – and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels – sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim – chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street – the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

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.

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.

More from Neighbourhood Watch:RESULTS

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More coverage from the Future ForumKilling of Qassem SuleimaniHow much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
Brighton College Abu Dhabi – Dh68,560
Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) – Dh54,170
Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

COMPANY%20PROFILE

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Klipit%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Venkat%20Reddy%2C%20Mohammed%20Al%20Bulooki%2C%20Bilal%20Merchant%2C%20Asif%20Ahmed%2C%20Ovais%20Merchant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Digital%20receipts%2C%20finance%2C%20blockchain%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%244%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Privately%2Fself-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Read more about the coronavirusKilling of Qassem SuleimaniOther workplace saving schemes
The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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:More on Quran memorisation:Results

1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin – Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000

2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000

3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000

Profile Box

Company/date started: 2015

Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif

Based: Manama, Bahrain

Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation

Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads

Stage: 1 ($100,000)

Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive – https://www.agda.ae/en

Zayed Sustainability PrizeMoon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Zayed Sustainability PrizeKILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANIZayed Sustainability PrizeThe five pillars of IslamNeil Thomson – THE BIO

Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.

Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.

Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.

Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.

Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.

Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20

%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi’s%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A