A Palestinian man inspects the damage at the site of an Israeli air strike on a building in Gaza city. AFP
A Palestinian man inspects the damage at the site of an Israeli air strike on a building in Gaza city. AFP
A Palestinian man inspects the damage at the site of an Israeli air strike on a building in Gaza city. AFP
A Palestinian man inspects the damage at the site of an Israeli air strike on a building in Gaza city. AFP

Hopes raised for Gaza ceasefire as parties talk up 'serious' progress


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Hamas and US officials raised hopes that negotiations in Doha and Cairo over recent months may bring the 14-month conflict in Gaza to a ceasefire.

Hamas, which runs Gaza and has been at war with Israel since October 2023, said progress in the Doha talks, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, was "serious and positive", indicating that a ceasefire and deal for the return of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza may be possible.

"Hamas confirms that in light of the serious and positive discussions taking place in Doha today under the auspices of the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange is possible if [Israel] stops setting new conditions," the group said in a statement.

The war, sparked by the attack on southern Israel by Hamas during which militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages back to Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of more than 45,000 people and reduced much of the enclave to rubble.

The last time a ceasefire deal was reached between the two warring parties was in November 2023, when 100 Israeli hostages were exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and there was a cessation in hostilities. But the deal fell apart within a week.

Sources briefed on the negotiations told The National that a mid-level team from Israel's spy agency Mossad and its domestic security counterpart Shin Bet are in Doha ironing out technical details of a possible deal. They said the discussions included the monitoring of the Egypt-Gaza border and security measures to weed out militants when displaced Palestinians in Gaza are allowed to return home to the north of the enclave.

That technical details were being discussed, they explained, suggested a ceasefire deal and prisoner and hostage swap could be within reach. However, they cautioned that past optimism an agreement might be imminent had proved premature.

They said Hamas has dropped two core demands - a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza - positions that had in the past derailed efforts to reach a deal. "Unless Israel makes impossible last-minute demands, a deal could realistically be struck soon," said one of the sources.

Freed hostages who survived captivity in Gaza have called for the remaining hostages to be brought home. Reuters
Freed hostages who survived captivity in Gaza have called for the remaining hostages to be brought home. Reuters

Hopes are high for a deal before the new year, after talks resumed in the Qatari capital last week following a three-month hiatus. Sources told The National at the time that Hamas had agreed in principle to a truce of up to 30 days and had drawn up a list of hostages it could release.

On Tuesday, White House spokesman John Kirby said progress was being made. "We believe - and the Israelis have said this - that we're getting closer, and no doubt about it, we believe that, but we also are cautious in our optimism," Mr Kirby told Fox News. "We've been in this position before where we weren't able to get it over the finish line."

The parties are considering a ceasefire plan put together by the Biden administration in the US and presented for negotiation in May. Thus far, talks have repeatedly fallen apart over the issue of an Israeli military presence on the ground in Gaza. Hamas has previously said it will not release hostages back to Israel until its troops are out of the enclave.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz did not appear to move from this position on Tuesday, saying Israel will have security control over Gaza with full freedom of action after defeating Hamas. "My position on Gaza is clear. After we defeat Hamas's military and governmental power in Gaza, Israel will have security control over Gaza with full freedom of action," Mr Katz wrote on X.

"We will not allow any terrorist organisation against Israeli communities and Israeli citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to the reality of before October 7."

But he told the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs committee on Monday that Israel had not been this close to a deal since the November ceasefire.

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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 two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Omar Yabroudi's factfile

Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah

Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University

2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship

2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy

2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment

2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment

2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager

 

 

 

 

The distance learning plan

Spring break will be from March 8 - 19

Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm

Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19

Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning

Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5

Switching%20sides
%3Cp%3EMahika%20Gaur%20is%20the%20latest%20Dubai-raised%20athlete%20to%20attain%20top%20honours%20with%20another%20country.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVelimir%20Stjepanovic%20(Serbia%2C%20swimming)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EBorn%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20and%20raised%20in%20Dubai%2C%20he%20finished%20sixth%20in%20the%20final%20of%20the%202012%20Olympic%20Games%20in%20London%20in%20the%20200m%20butterfly%20final.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJonny%20Macdonald%20(Scotland%2C%20rugby%20union)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EBrought%20up%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20and%20represented%20the%20region%20in%20international%20rugby.%20When%20the%20Arabian%20Gulf%20team%20was%20broken%20up%20into%20its%20constituent%20nations%2C%20he%20opted%20to%20play%20for%20Scotland%20instead%2C%20and%20went%20to%20the%20Hong%20Kong%20Sevens.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESophie%20Shams%20(England%2C%20rugby%20union)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20daughter%20of%20an%20English%20mother%20and%20Emirati%20father%2C%20Shams%20excelled%20at%20rugby%20in%20Dubai%2C%20then%20after%20attending%20university%20in%20the%20UK%20played%20for%20England%20at%20sevens.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Schedule:

Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore

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 three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Rajasthan Royals 158-8 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 143/7 (20 ovs)

Rajasthan Royals won by 15 runs

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  

Updated: December 18, 2024, 4:04 AM`