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How Israeli raids transformed a Gaza hospital into a symbol of conflict’s cruel toll

A picture shows the damage to an ambulance at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia the northern Gaza Strip on October 26, 2024 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
A picture shows the damage to an ambulance at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia the northern Gaza Strip on October 26, 2024 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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Updated 08 December 2024

How Israeli raids transformed a Gaza hospital into a symbol of conflict’s cruel toll

How Israeli raids transformed a Gaza hospital into a symbol of conflict’s cruel toll
  • Shambolic state of Kamal Adwan Hospital underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis in northern Gaza
  • Facility pays a high price as Israeli forces conduct repeated operations against Hamas fighters in surrounding areas

LONDON: Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last partially functioning medical facility in northern Gaza, has been rendered non-operational following nearly seven weeks of heavy Israeli shelling, a renewed blockade and a deadly raid.

The hospital, located in Beit Lahia, north of Jabalia, has become an emblem of the destruction wrought by the conflict in the Gaza Strip, leaving the region’s already fragile health care system in tatters.

Israeli bombardment, gun battles between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters, and a severe shortage of medical supplies, food, water and fuel have crippled an already overstretched health system in Gaza.




Wounded Palestinians receive treatment at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia the northern Gaza Strip on October 26, 2024 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)

Compounding the misery of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, most of whom have been repeatedly displaced, heavy winter rains have flooded tents across the enclave, spoiling food and damaging plastic and cloth sheeting that had protected the displaced Palestinians against the elements.

Israel says that its forces seek to minimize civilian fatalities but that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, schools and mosques, as shields for its military operations. As of Nov. 5, only 17 of the enclave’s 36 hospitals remained partially functional, according to UN figures.

Once a critical lifeline for the residents of northern Gaza, Kamal Adwan is now a shadow of its former self. Israeli forces claim their operations target Hamas militants, but the toll on civilians has been catastrophic. Witness accounts, humanitarian reports and harrowing images from the hospital reveal terrible suffering, compounded by the destruction of medical infrastructure that thousands relied on for urgent care.

IN NUMBERS

• 44,211+

Palestinians, most of them civilians, killed in Gaza war.

• 18,000

Combatants killed according to Israel.

• 2.3m

People in Gaza displaced at least once since Oct. 7, 2023.

On Friday, according to a CNN website report quoting witnesses, four doctors were killed and dozens of people wounded after Israeli forces stormed the compound. In a statement, Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director, accused the troops of forcing health workers and patients to leave the facility, and destroying critical medical supplies.




A Palestinian man carries away an injured child from a home that was hit in an Israeli strike on the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on November 7, 2024. (AFP)

The Israel military denied striking or operating within the hospital, instead saying that its forces fought “against terror infrastructure and terrorists” in the nearby Jabalia area. It said it was in “continuous contact” with Kamal Adwan Hospital to deliver supplies and equipment.

The attack on Friday was the second such raid by the Israeli military since it commenced operations in three cities in northern Gaza on Oct. 5, asserting that Hamas fighters were regrouping in the area. It warned of “systematic strikes and the radical destruction of terrorist structures.”

On Oct. 8, amid fierce fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants in Jabalia and its refugee camp, Israeli tanks surrounded Kamal Adwan Hospital, issuing evacuation orders to its staff, patients and hundreds of people seeking refuge within its walls.




The attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital must stop immediately, and safe passage for a humanitarian mission must be ensured, says Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO

According to Gaza’s health authority, the situation quickly deteriorated as Israeli bombardment escalated, cutting off vital access to food, water and medical supplies.

Prior to the hospital siege, the Israeli military had ordered Palestinians in Jabalia to relocate southward to a designated “humanitarian zone” in Al-Mawasi. However, international organizations and rights groups have consistently challenged Israeli claims about the existence of safe zones in Gaza. In July, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated emphatically: “Nowhere (in Gaza) is safe. Everywhere is a potential killing zone.”

On Oct. 24, during the third week of Israel’s offensive in Jabalia, the World Health Organization and its partners undertook a perilous mission to Kamal Adwan. Despite hostilities in the vicinity, the team managed to transfer 23 patients and 26 caregivers to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. They also delivered 180 units of blood, trauma and surgical supplies, and medicines for more than 5,000 patients, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO.




Rubbish and debris are scattered near damaged buildings in the vicinity of the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahya in the northern Gaza Strip on October 31, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (AFP)

“Kamal Adwan Hospital has been overflowing with close to 200 patients — a constant stream of horrific trauma cases. It is also full of hundreds of people seeking shelter,” he said on X.

Noting that the WHO mission returned at 3:30am, Ghebreyesus said “accessing hospitals across Gaza is getting unbelievably harder and exposes our staff to unnecessary danger.”

Hours later, the WHO said that it had lost touch with Kamal Adwan’s staff. In the afternoon, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it had also lost contact with its staff member and orthopedic surgeon Mohammed Obeid, who was sheltering and working in the hospital.

Kamal Adwan Hospital has been overflowing with close to 200 patients — a constant stream of horrific trauma cases.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO

The following day, Oct. 26, and after a days-long raid, Israeli troops withdrew from the facility, leaving it in complete disarray and taking with them dozens of staffers — including MSF’s Obeid.

The US-based NGO MedGlobal also said that six of its affiliates, including Mahmoud Lubbad, the nursing director at Kamal Adwan, were among those “illegally detained by Israeli forces.”




For the people of northern Gaza, it was more than just a medical facility; it was a lifeline in a region under siege. (Photo: X @DrTedros)

The Gaza health ministry accused Israeli soldiers of setting large sections of the hospital ablaze, assaulting staff and patients, arresting 30 medical personnel, and taking six MedGlobal affiliates, including the hospital’s nursing director, Mahmoud Lubbad, into custody.

Khalil Daqran, spokesperson for Gaza’s health ministry, described the raid as an act of deliberate destruction. “The army stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital, causing widespread destruction; setting large parts on fire, destroying the hospital’s entrances, and demolishing surrounding walls,” he said in a video statement. “Patients and medical staff were assaulted, with many patients and companions arrested, along with most of the medical staff. The fate of 30 medical personnel remains unknown.

“The (Israeli) army has removed the hospital from service entirely, destroying all its contents. There are now no medicines, medical supplies or food within the hospital.”




People comfort each other inside the Kamal Adwan hospital, as victims receive medical care following an Israeli strike that hit an area near the medical establishment in Beit Layia in the northern Gaza Strip early on November 21, 2024, reportedly leaving dozens of people killed or unaccounted for. (AFP)

Gaza’s health authority said that more than 600 people were trapped in Kamal Adwan during the Israeli military incursion.

Witnesses recounted chilling scenes. According to the Australian broadcaster ABC, Israeli soldiers beat patients until they bled, used dogs to intimidate children, and forced more than 100 men — many of them ill or injured — to strip down to their underwear in the cold before taking them away.

Hanan Balkhy, WHO’s regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said that after the Israeli soldiers withdrew, the hospital still had “195 patients, many of whom, along with displaced people, fear leaving due to safety concerns.”

“What they have endured is beyond words,” she wrote in a post on X.

She also said that “of the 70 hospital staff, reportedly 44 male staff members were detained. Only female staff, the hospital director, and another male doctor remain at the hospital. Some patients and displaced people were also reportedly detained.”

The Israeli military said that its operation targeted a “Hamas terrorist stronghold” and claimed to have detained about 100 militants. It also alleged that some Hamas fighters disguised themselves as medical staff, releasing a video in which an ambulance driver said that Hamas fighters were stationed at the hospital.




People gather as smoke rises from a UN school-turned-shelter after it was hit in an Israeli strike, in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip on November 14, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas militant group. (AFP)

Both hospital staff and Hamas have denied any militant presence at the facility.

Despite the withdrawal of Israeli forces, Kamal Adwan continued to face bombardment. On Nov. 24, Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director, was injured in a quadcopter strike targeting his office. He described relentless attacks on the hospital’s emergency entrance, courtyard and oxygen station, which disrupted vital supplies and care.

In a statement sent to Arab News two days before the attack, Abu Safiya said: “While we were in the emergency department checking on the injured, a plane suddenly dropped bombs on the emergency reception entrance without prior warning.




People gather as smoke rises from a UN school-turned-shelter after it was hit in an Israeli strike, in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip on November 14, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas militant group. (AFP)

“Four medical staff members were injured. When we transferred them to the radiology department to perform imaging for their injuries, those transporting the injured were targeted as well. Two other nursing staff members were critically injured and admitted to the intensive care unit.”

Abu Safiya added that the hospital courtyard was also bombed, severely damaging the power generators and the adjacent oxygen station, which disrupted the oxygen supply to multiple departments.

“This is not the first time Kamal Adwan Hospital has been bombed,” Abu Safiya said, referring to similar incidents in December 2022 and May 2023. During one earlier raid, Israeli forces reportedly barred doctors from providing care to critical patients, resulting in multiple deaths, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.




A Palestinian man stares at the rubble of the Alloush family's house, levelled in an Israeli strike in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on November 10, 2024. (AFP)

He wrote that the relentless strikes “resulted in 12 injuries among doctors, nurses and administrative staff within the emergency and reception areas.

“Additionally, there was significant damage that disrupted the electrical generator, oxygen supply network, and water supply, instilling terror and fear among the injured and patients, including children and women.”

At the hospital there were 86 injured individuals, eight cases in intensive care on ventilators, and 13 child patients, he said.




Palestinians carry down an injured child from a home that was hit in an Israeli strike on the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on November 7, 2024. (AFP)

Malnutrition cases have also emerged in the pediatric department. Abu Safiya called on the international community “to intervene by sending surgical teams, medical supplies, and ambulances.”

The destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital has drawn widespread condemnation from humanitarian organizations and rights groups. Medical Aid for Palestinians, a UK charity, described the attack as “another atrocity” by Israeli forces, while WHO chief Ghebreyesus demanded that the attacks on Kamal Adwan “must stop immediately.”

In a post on X on Nov. 25, he wrote that “continued attacks” on the hospital “have caused an additional 14 injuries in the past 48 hours, including the hospital director and the very few remaining doctors and nurses — this is deplorable.”

The Gaza health ministry said that the hospital’s destruction has left northern Gaza completely without medical services, further endangering the lives of thousands of civilians.

The hospital’s fate underscores the broader collapse of Gaza’s health care infrastructure amid the conflict. As of Nov. 5, only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remained partially operational, according to UN figures.

The Israeli military said in a joint statement with COGAT, which coordinates operations with the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, that it had facilitated the transfer of more than 300 patients, caregivers and medical staff from northern Gaza hospitals to safer areas.

On Nov. 24, the Israeli military said that it had transferred 17 patients and their caregivers from Kamal Adwan to other facilities as part of a campaign to ensure “operational medical centers” in Gaza.

The conflict has taken a devastating toll on Gaza’s civilian population. Since Hamas-led Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year, killing 1,200 people and abducting 240 others, Israel has responded with widespread airstrikes and ground operations.

According to a Reuters count, the Israeli offensive has resulted in more than 44,200 deaths and displaced hundreds of thousands. On Wednesday, Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed 15 people, some of them in a school housing displaced people, medics in Gaza said.

The destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital has left many northern Gaza residents without access to medical care, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. For the people of northern Gaza, it was more than just a medical facility; it was a lifeline in a region under siege.

Its destruction has further deepened the suffering of a population caught in the throes of a war that has defied ceasefire efforts. The international community has called for urgent action to address the deteriorating situation, but for now, the hospital remains a stark symbol of the human cost of the Gaza conflict.


UN aid chief foresees ‘massive job’ ahead on tour of ruined Gaza

UN aid chief foresees ‘massive job’ ahead on tour of ruined Gaza
Updated 8 min 57 sec ago

UN aid chief foresees ‘massive job’ ahead on tour of ruined Gaza

UN aid chief foresees ‘massive job’ ahead on tour of ruined Gaza
  • UN relief coordinator Tom Fletcher: Gaza residents are ‘telling me most of all they want dignity’

JERUSALEM: The United Nations’ aid chief took stock of the monumental task of restoring basic necessities in the devastated Gaza Strip on Saturday, and Israel received the remains of another October 7 hostage as a ceasefire entered its second week.
In a short convoy of white UN jeeps, relief coordinator Tom Fletcher and his team wound their way through the twisted rubble of shattered homes to inspect a wastewater treatment plant in Sheikh Radwan, north of Gaza City.
“I drove through here seven to eight months ago when most of these buildings were still standing and, to see the devastation, this is a vast part of the city, just a wasteland, and it’s absolutely devastating to see,” he said.
The densely packed cities of the Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians, have been reduced to ruins by two years of bombardment and intense fighting between Hamas and the Israeli army.
Just over a week since US President Donald Trump helped broker a truce, the main border crossing to Egypt has yet to be reopened, but hundreds of trucks roll in daily via Israeli checkpoints and aid is being distributed.
Hamas has returned the final 20 surviving hostages it was holding and has begun to hand over the remains of another 28 who died.
On Friday night, it turned over a set of remains identified by Israel as Eliyahu Margalit, 75, who died in the October 2023 attack that ignited the war in Gaza.
Digging latrines
Surveying the damaged pumping equipment and a grim lake of sewage at the Sheikh Radwan wastewater plant, Fletcher said the task ahead for the UN and aid agencies was a “massive, massive job.”
The British diplomat said he had met residents returning to destroyed homes trying to dig latrines in the ruins.
“They’re telling me most of all they want dignity,” he said. “We’ve got to get the power back on so we can start to get the sanitation system back in place.
“We have a massive 60 day plan now to surge in food, get a million meals out there a day, start to rebuild the health sector, bring in tents for the winter, get hundreds of thousands of kids back into school.”
According to figures supplied to mediators by the Israeli military’s civil affairs agency and released by the UN humanitarian office, on Thursday some 950 trucks carrying aid and commercial supplies crossed into Gaza from Israel.
Relief agencies have called for the Rafah border crossing from Egypt to be reopened to speed the flow of food, fuel and medicines, and Turkiye has a team of rescue specialists waiting at the border to help find bodies in the rubble.
Hostage remains
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the ceasefire but is under pressure at home to restrict access to Gaza until the remaining bodies of the hostages taken during Hamas’s brutal attacks have been returned.
On Saturday, his office confirmed that the latest body, returned by Hamas via the Red Cross on Friday night, had been identified as Margalit, the elderly farmer who was known to his friends at the Nir Oz kibbutz as “Churchill.”
“He was a cowboy at heart, and for many years managed the cattle branch and the horse stables of Nir Oz,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a support group founded by relatives of the hostages.
“He was connected to the ‘Riders of the South’ group whose members shared a love of horseback riding for over 50 years. On October 7, he went out to feed his beloved horses and was kidnapped from the stable.”
Margalit had been married with three children and three grandchildren. His daughter Nili Margalit, also taken hostage, was freed during the war’s first brief truce in November 2023.
In a statement confirming he had been identified and his remains returned to his family, Netanyahu’s office said “we will not compromise ... and will spare no effort until we return all of the fallen abductees, down to the last one.”
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Friday that the group “continues to uphold its commitment to the ceasefire agreement... and it will continue working to complete the full prisoner exchange process.”
Under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, negotiated by Trump and regional mediators, the Palestinian militant group has returned all 20 surviving hostages and the remains of 10 out of 28 deceased ones.


Israel identifies dead hostage returned on Friday

Israel identifies dead hostage returned on Friday
Updated 40 sec ago

Israel identifies dead hostage returned on Friday

Israel identifies dead hostage returned on Friday
  • Deceased hostage Hamas returned overnight has been identified as 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit
  • The Israeli military said on Saturday that the remains had been returned to Margalit’s family

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday that the body of a deceased hostage Hamas returned overnight has been identified as 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit.

The Israeli military “informed the family of the abductee Eliyahu Margalit... that (the body of) their loved one has been returned to Israel and his identification has been completed,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

It added that “we will not compromise... and will spare no effort until we return all of the fallen abductees, down to the last one.”

The remains of the hostage who died in captivity were transferred to Israeli security forces in Gaza via the Red Cross, and returned to Israel for identification at a medical analysis center, the premier’s office said on Friday night.

The Israeli military said on Saturday that the remains had been returned to Margalit’s family.

Margalit was killed at Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza, according to a military statement.

“Eliyahu, 75 years old at the time of his death... leaves behind a wife, three children, and grandchildren. His daughter, Nili Margalit, was also abducted and returned (under) the hostage release agreement in November 2023,” the statement said.

“Hamas is required to fulfil its part of the agreement and make the necessary efforts to return all the hostages to their families,” it added.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement Friday night that the militant group “continues to uphold its commitment to the ceasefire agreement... and it will continue working to complete the full prisoner exchange process.”

Under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, the Palestinian militant group has returned all 20 surviving hostages and the remains of 10 out of 28 known deceased ones.

Under the terms of the agreement Hamas was to hand over all of the hostages, dead and alive, before Monday at 0900 GMT.


Iran says no longer bound by ‘restrictions’ on its nuclear program

Iran says no longer bound by ‘restrictions’ on its nuclear program
Updated 18 October 2025

Iran says no longer bound by ‘restrictions’ on its nuclear program

Iran says no longer bound by ‘restrictions’ on its nuclear program
  • The 2015 deal saw the lifting of international sanctions against the Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program
  • But the pact had already been in tatters after Washington unilaterally withdrew during President Donald Trump’s first term

TEHRAN: Iran said on Saturday that it was no longer bound by restrictions on its nuclear program as a landmark 10-year deal between it and world powers expired, though Tehran reiterated its “commitment to diplomacy.”
The 2015 deal — signed in Vienna by Iran, China, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States — saw the lifting of international sanctions against the Islamic republic in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.
But the pact had already been in tatters after Washington unilaterally withdrew during President Donald Trump’s first term, with Iran later pulling back from its commitments.
The reimposition last month of UN sanctions at the urging of three of the deal’s European signatories rendered the accord effectively moot.
From now on, “all of the provisions (of the deal), including the restrictions on the Iranian nuclear program and the related mechanisms are considered terminated,” Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement on the day of the pact’s expiration.
“Iran firmly expresses its commitment to diplomacy,” it added.
Western powers have long accused Iran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons — something it has repeatedly denied, insisting its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes such as energy production.
The deal’s “termination day” was set for October 18, 2025, exactly 10 years after it was enshrined in the UN’s Security Council resolution 2231.
The accord capped Iran’s uranium enrichment at 3.67 percent in exchange for sanctions relief and provided for strict supervision of its nuclear activities by the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
But Washington left the deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions, after which Tehran began stepping up its nuclear program.
According to the IAEA, Iran is the only country without a nuclear weapons program to enrich uranium to 60 percent. That is close to the threshold of 90 percent required for a bomb, and well above the level needed for civilian nuclear use.
‘Irresponsible actions’
In July, Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA following the war with Israel, with Tehran pointing to the agency’s failure to condemn Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities.
The unprecedented bombing campaign by Israel and the retaliation by Iran during the 12-day war derailed ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
At the initiative of France, Britain and Germany, widespread UN sanctions against Iran returned into force in late September for the first time in a decade.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter addressed to the United Nations on Saturday that the expiration of the 2015 deal renders the sanctions “null and void.”
Britain, France and Germany accuse Iran of not cooperating with the IAEA and would like it to return to negotiations with the United States.
“Iran’s efforts to revive the exchanges (with the IAEA) that led to the agreement in Cairo were also sabotaged by the irresponsible actions of the three European countries,” the Iranian foreign ministry said in Saturday’s statement, referring to a recent framework to resume cooperation.


Why Gulf families are trading long-haul holidays for adventures closer to home

Why Gulf families are trading long-haul holidays for adventures closer to home
Updated 18 October 2025

Why Gulf families are trading long-haul holidays for adventures closer to home

Why Gulf families are trading long-haul holidays for adventures closer to home
  • Local tourism in places like AlUla, Jebel Jais, and Al-Ain are redefining holidays around discovery, sustainability, and community-led experiences
  • The regional shift toward local travel reflects a deeper desire for connection, presence, and rediscovery of the Gulf’s natural beauty

DUBAI: When Sarah Ahmed stepped outside her glamping dome in Hatta, the sun was rising over the mountains and the air felt cool and still — a calm far removed from her busy mornings in the city.

It looked like something out of a nature documentary — yet it was less than 130 kilometers from her home in Dubai.

“This is where I come with my family when I get the itch to travel,” she told Arab News. “It feels like a real escape, but we can be back home the same day if we want to.”

For Ahmed, and many other families in the Gulf, short and simple getaways like this have become the new norm.

Kayaking in Dubai's Hatta tourist resort. (Photo courtesy of hattawadiadventure.com)

Instead of long-haul flights and packed itineraries, families and single travelers are choosing nearby destinations that are affordable and easy to reach — yet still offer a feeling of discovery.

From Oman’s cool mountain foothills to the wadis and mangroves of the UAE, this growing trend is reshaping how families spend their weekends, emphasizing connection and nature over distance and extravagance.

Ƶ is also reinventing itself as a haven for family staycations, blending breathtaking natural landscapes, immersive heritage sites, and glamping destinations.

From the majestic sandstone cliffs of AlUla and the dramatic escarpments of the Edge of the World, to the serene Al-Wahbah Crater and lush valleys near Riyadh, the Kingdom provides locations that attract families in search of adventure and relaxation.

Cultural exploration goes hand-in-hand with outdoor adventure, with destinations such as Rijal Almaa, Ushaiqer Heritage Village, and Riyadh’s historic Dirab Valley delivering an authentic taste of Arabian traditions.

Thadiq, a heritage city located 165 kilometers northwest of Riyadh, is one excellent escape for people on staycation in the Kingdom. (SPA)

Hatta in the UAE is just one of many spots in the region drawing families outdoors. In the mountain enclave, a growing number of residents are trading city weekends for cool air and glamping stays surrounded by natural scenery.

Just a 90-minute drive from Dubai, Hatta has become one of the UAE’s most accessible nature escapes, offering dome-style tents, cabins, and lodges equipped with modern comforts, set against a backdrop of dramatic peaks.

“It’s become our go-to escape,” Ahmed said. “The drive is short, but once we’re surrounded by the mountains, it feels like we’re far away from everything.”

Families spend their days kayaking on the dam, cycling along gravel trails, or watching the sunset from their terraces.

“It’s the one place where my kids forget about screens,” said Ahmed. “They spend the whole day outside — biking, exploring, just being kids again.”

The concept of glamping — camping with comforts — has made Hatta a popular cool-season retreat, where residents can disconnect from city life without leaving behind convenience or style.

Just a few hours’ drive across the border, in Oman’s Jabal Akhdar, travelers are drawn to the same calm — but in a much cooler climate.

Amazing hiking trip to the stunning deserted historical Wadi Bani Habib Village in Jabal Akhdar in Oman. (Shutterstock)

igh in the Hajar range, the plateau — whose name means Green Mountain — is up to 15 degrees Celsius cooler than the coast, attracting visitors looking to escape the Gulf heat.

James Reeves, general manager of a holiday property in Jabal Akhdar, said the mountain attracts two distinct types of visitor.

During the winter season, it is mainly European travelers exploring Oman, while in summer it is a mix of local and regional guests escaping the high temperatures.

He described the area as offering “families the perfect balance of escape and convenience,” with many especially drawn to the region’s cultural and natural diversity.

The walking trails range from gentle paths suitable for children to more challenging routes that cross ancient terraces and abandoned mountain villages.

Reeves said many families also visit the falaj irrigation channels — a 1,000-year-old UNESCO-recognized water system that still nourishes farms in the area.

James Reeves, general manager of a holiday property in Oman’s Jabal Akhdar. (Supplied)

“Families today are looking for more than just a hotel and relaxation stay,” Reeves told Arab News. “They want experiences that are enriching, memorable, and suitable for all ages.”

The mountain helps visitors reconnect with the past and discover a more authentic side of Oman, he said.

While convenience plays a role, Reeves said the shift also reflects something deeper — a growing desire for presence.

After years of fast-paced travel and screen-heavy routines, families are seeking experiences that feel more rooted in place and culture.

It is a pattern emerging throughout the Gulf, as more residents look for adventures close by that combine discovery, nature, and connection.

For Dubai resident Ruth Bradley, those shorter adventures have taken on a more personal meaning.

For Dubai resident Ruth Bradley and her 13-year-old son, Rafi, in Oman’s Wadi Tiwi. (Supplied)

The British-Italian mother of three decided to drive to Oman with her 13-year-old son, Rafi, over the Eid break rather than fly abroad.

“My husband was traveling to the UK, and I didn’t want to stay in Dubai,” she told Arab News.

“I felt like an adventure, but I only had four days, so I started looking at what we could do by road. I didn’t want to waste time flying somewhere when we could experience amazing views on a drive through Oman.”

They spent one night in Nizwa, then continued to Wadi Tiwi, where they hiked, swam in natural pools, and jumped from cliffs surrounded by green valleys.

“It was one of the most breathtaking things we’ve ever done together,” she said. “At one point it felt like we were in a Jurassic World movie set. I could have cried from the beauty of it all — and I saw that same wonder in Rafi’s face,” she told Arab News.

The trip ended farther south at the Ras Al-Jinz Turtle Reserve, where they watched sea turtles lay their eggs before sunrise.

Ras Al Jinz beach, also known as the 'Turtle Beach,' is one of the most popular tourist spots in Oman. (Wikimedia Commons: hotshoe!)

Bradley described the journey as safe, affordable, and easy to manage.

The guesthouses she booked — part of the Nomad Inn Oman group — cost less than 500 Emirati dirhams ($136) a night, while the biggest expense was petrol for more than 24 hours of driving.

“Oman is such a safe country,” she said. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Being a lone parent on the road with my son was important to me — you only get 18 summers with your children, and I want to make every one count.”

Bradley said the region’s mix of landscape and hospitality makes short road-trip adventures especially rewarding.

She is already planning to return to Wadi Tiwi in December so her husband and older children can experience it too. She hopes more destinations in the Gulf region will offer affordable options for families and adventure seekers.

The Arabian Peninsula is “especially beautiful,” said Bradley, who hopes to show her son “every inch of it — from Oman’s wadis to AlUla, Petra, and even Socotra one day.”

Across the region, the definition of a holiday is shifting. Families are trading the once-a-year big trip for shorter, more frequent getaways.

This shift has spurred new investment in accessible destinations like Hatta, Jebel Jais, and Al-Ain, where adventure parks, nature trails, and eco-glamping sites now cater to families looking for safety and spontaneity.

In Ras Al-Khaimah, for example, the Jebel Jais mountains now have ziplines, sky tours, and cycling trails that draw visitors from Dubai for the day.

Similarly, in Al-Ain, Jebel Hafeet Desert Park has become a favorite with families who prefer exploring ancient tombs and desert trails close to home.

General view of the ancient city of AlUla in western Ƶ. (SPA)

Farther west, Ƶ’s AlUla has evolved into one of the region’s most sought-after short-break destinations.

Families visit for its sandstone canyons, heritage villages, and open-air museums, combining history and nature in a setting that feels remote yet remarkably accessible.

These projects — some run by local entrepreneurs, others backed by tourism authorities — are part of a larger regional movement to bring leisure closer to where people live and work.

Local guides and small businesses “are playing a huge role in this shift by creating authentic, hands-on experiences, whether it’s farm tours, cooking classes, or storytelling sessions in historic villages,” Reeves said.

This community-based approach is redefining tourism as participation rather than consumption.

A view of Al-Wahbah crater near Taif. From stark black cones to craters that plunge deep into the Earth, Ƶ’s volcanic landscape offers some of the most breathtaking geological sights in the region. (SPA photo)

This increase in local travel has also had ripple effects beyond leisure. For many Arab families, it is a way of rediscovering the beauty and diversity of their own region — from the mangroves of Abu Dhabi to the volcanic landscapes of Yemen’s Socotra.

In doing so, it fosters a sense of pride and environmental awareness.

Reeves said travelers are now staying longer — sometimes beyond 10 days — using Jabal Akhdar as a base to explore Oman’s wider natural and cultural heritage.

“People are realizing how much there is to see within a few hours’ drive. And because they’re saving on flights, they’re investing more time in exploring.”

As new destinations across the GCC continue to emerge, the message is the same: “Adventure doesn’t have to mean far away.”

Sometimes, the best memories begin just a short drive from home.
 

 


Daily struggles persist in Gaza even as ceasefire offers some respite

Daily struggles persist in Gaza even as ceasefire offers some respite
Updated 17 October 2025

Daily struggles persist in Gaza even as ceasefire offers some respite

Daily struggles persist in Gaza even as ceasefire offers some respite
  • “Life after the ceasefire is still anxious. Is the war really over?” said Naggar, who has been displaced about a dozen times since the war began
  • In the coastal area of Muwasi, crowded with displaced Palestinians, Naggar’s tent has started to wear thin

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Bassil Naggar can finally sleep without getting jolted awake by the sounds of Israeli airstrikes.
For Naggar and his displaced family, and for many in Gaza facing similar challenges, the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war has provided a much-needed respite from a two-year war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and left much of the territory in ruins.
But many daily struggles, big and small, persist — from how to put an actual roof over one’s head and what to wear as winter approaches, to how to secure proper food, to worries over whether the fragile ceasefire will hold.
The extent of some of the personal and communal losses has become clearer since the ceasefire went into effect on Oct. 10, allowing many to return to their neighborhoods and discover what remains of their homes.
“Life after the ceasefire is still anxious. Is the war really over?” said Naggar, who has been displaced about a dozen times since the war began.
Fueling his fears are memories of the deadly Israeli airstrikes in March that shattered an earlier truce.
In the coastal area of Muwasi, crowded with displaced Palestinians, Naggar’s tent has started to wear thin. He said his home in eastern Khan Younis has been burned. He worries about how his family can keep warm in winter.
They’ve been surviving mostly on canned food, such as fava beans and chickpeas. He said he’s starting to see instant noodles and potato chips in the market. Prices have come down some, but remain too expensive, he added.
The World Food Program is moving “swiftly to scale up food assistance and reach families who have endured months of blockade, displacement and hunger,” spokesperson Abeer Etefa said Friday in Geneva.
“We’re still below what we need, but we’re getting there,” Etefa said.
Challenges she cited include damaged infrastructure and the need for more open crossings into Gaza.
Earlier in the week, the entrance of desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza was paused for two days for the exchange of hostages and prisoners and for a Jewish holiday. Israel had also threatened to reduce the number of trucks allowed into Gaza, saying Hamas was too slow to return remaining bodies of hostages.
Under the ceasefire agreement, hundreds of trucks are to be allowed to enter Gaza daily. COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian aid, did not respond to a query about how many trucks carrying aid have made it into Gaza since the ceasefire.
Naggar said he hasn’t noticed a significant change in the amount of aid available since the ceasefire started.
In the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war, Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people, and killed around 1,200.
In Israel’s ensuing offensive, nearly 68,000 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts.
On Thursday, hardships were on display at a crowded charity kitchen in the central city of Deir Al-Balah, where scores of Palestinians held bowls and pots as they waited in front of large vats of rice. One woman displaced from Khan Younis, Fatima Shaat, said she waited for six hours for food.
Basma Abu Al-Kheir said while some goods have come in, “there is no possibility of buying what we want” because prices are too high.
In Deir Al-Balah, Fida Ziyad said tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants are available at the market, but poultry and meat are in short supply — and all of it costs more than it did before the war. Ziyad, who lost her home in northern Gaza, said she’s wary of what lies ahead, with many thorny issues about Gaza still unresolved.
For many, normalcy remains elusive.
After the ceasefire, Mohamed Samy went back to check on his home in Jabaliya to find it reduced to rubble. Samy, who now lives in Gaza City, said much of his situation hasn’t changed since the ceasefire.
“Even drinking water, I have to walk, sometimes up to an hour, to get to the water truck.”
In August, the world’s leading authority on food crises said Gaza City was gripped by famine, which the group warned then was likely to spread without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid. At the time, Israel rejected the report, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it an “outright lie.”
Before then, aid groups had warned for months that Israel’s restrictions of food and other aid into Gaza, and its military offensive, were causing starvation among Palestinian civilians, particularly children.
Since the beginning of the ceasefire, at least nine humanitarian organizations have gradually resumed services in Gaza City and parts of northern Gaza for displaced families and returnees, according to a UN humanitarian affairs report released Thursday.
In Deir Al-Balah, Ayman Abu Saif still relies on charity kitchens for food.
“It’s either rice or pasta,” said Abu Saif, who once worked in the hospitality and restaurants fields and has been repeatedly displaced during the war.
“The prices in the market are now more reasonable,” he said. That has led to a small win: He bought his children three apples for the first time in more than a year.
He remains uncertain about returning to where he lived in Gaza City, saying he saw a photo of his home destroyed. And it’s not just his home that’s gone.
“There is no water and no infrastructure. I cannot go back even if I want to.”
In a glimpse of the challenges ahead, many displaced Palestinians returning to their neighborhoods found themselves walking through collapsed, pockmarked and hollowed out buildings and sifting through debris for traces of their past lives.
Abu Saif laments the toll the war has taken on his children — and fears for their future.
“It’s good that the bloodshed has stopped, but we have lost everything,” he said.
His six-year-old-son hasn’t received a proper education and probably won’t anytime soon, he said.
“I do not want my kids to think that this is what life is, to run behind a charity kitchen to get food, or walk lengthy miles to get clean water,” said Abu Saif. “This is not reality and this is not what life is, and I am not sure life in Gaza will change soon.”