Latest news with #AbuOmar
Saudi Gazette
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
Abu Omar secures spot at Team Falcons x Fatal Fury: Road to Pro tournament
The ES TIMES — The Kingdom's esports scene has welcomed a new standout figure as Abu Omar emerged victorious in the Team Falcons x Fatal Fury: Road to Pro Tournament Finals, held on May 2, 2025. His triumph not only highlighted technical mastery but also exceptional mental composure, as he outplayed several top-tier fighters to clinch the title. Abu Omar's commanding performance throughout the tournament earned him a coveted spot on the elite Saudi esports squad, Team Falcons, signaling the rise of one of the region's most promising fighting game talents. Abu Omar's Journey In The Tournament What set Abu Omar apart was the caliber of opponents he overcame. Facing both seasoned veterans and rising stars, each round was a high-pressure elimination match requiring adaptive strategy and unwavering focus. From the qualifiers to the grand final, Abu Omar maintained an undefeated streak, underscoring not just his skill but his discipline and preparation. The final clash against Turki ABC was a tense affair. In a best-of-nine showdown, Abu Omar delivered a dominant 5–2 victory, sealing his place among Saudi Arabia's esports elite. What's Next For Abu Omar? Adding prestige to his win, Abu Omar was presented with his official Team Falcons jersey by none other than Mosaad Al-Dossary, Chairman and CEO of Team Falcons and a former FIFA world champion. The symbolic handover marked Abu Omar's official entry into the professional esports world. Team Falcons is one of Saudi Arabia's leading esports organizations, with competitive rosters in Fortnite, PUBG, Valorant, EA Sports FC, and Tekken. The team recently topped the points table at the Esports World Cup, reinforcing its regional and international status. Abu Omar's breakthrough has garnered praise across the fighting game community (FGC), with many calling him the next breakout star from the Middle East. His composure, skillset, and work ethic have made him a fan favorite and a key figure to watch in upcoming events. With the full support of Team Falcons and a packed tournament calendar ahead, Abu Omar is now preparing to represent the team at the Esports World Cup 2025—his first major appearance on the global stage under the Falcons banner. Fans and aspiring players can mark their calendars for the next Falcons x Fatal Fury Qualifier Tournaments, scheduled from May 4 to May 6, 2025, with the Grand Finals set for May 9, 2025. The featured title, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S. For those eager to join the Saudi esports scene, registration details for upcoming qualifiers can be found on the official Falcons tournament platform. By Abdel Rehman, Games and Esports Writer
CBC
10-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Fear of aid, food shortages grows in Gaza as Israel continues to block goods from entering
Social Sharing Israel's block on deliveries into the war-stricken Gaza Strip has led to price increases and fears of food shortages, prompting punitive measures from the Hamas-run authorities against merchants, according to Hamas sources and witnesses. Members of the police force were deployed in local markets across Gaza, asserting their presence on the ground despite a 15-month Israeli aerial and ground offensive against the Palestinian militant group. They questioned and detained merchants, ordering them not to raise prices during a standoff over a ceasefire deal, and seized supplies that were later resold at lower prices, the four sources and witnesses said. Local authorities also urged residents to report misconduct by merchants, saying that food supplies in Gaza would last just two weeks. "Punishing junior sellers in markets is good, but Hamas must act against the big merchants who control what we eat," said one witness, asking not to be named for fear of retribution. Israel announced on Sunday that it was stopping the entry of goods into Gaza, citing a dispute with Hamas over how to proceed with the phased, U.S.-backed ceasefire that brought a halt to heavy fighting in January. Hamas has urged mediators to pressure Israel to begin talks on the second stage and reopen Gaza's crossings. Supplies limited, stranded aid might spoil Israel's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Hamas had been using aid to continue fighting Israel. Israel says Gaza has enough food for many months. Humanitarian agencies, however, say supplies for food, medicine and shelter in Gaza are limited and that stranded aid might spoil. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, said Israel's suspension of deliveries threatened lives among Gaza's 2.3 million population, exhausted by war. "Aid and these basic services are nonnegotiable. They must never be used as weapons of war," Lazzarini said in a post on X. WATCH | Israel to block all aid into Gaza until Hamas extends 1st phase: Israel says it will block all aid into Gaza until Hamas extends ceasefire 8 days ago Duration 2:15 At a soup kitchen in Gaza's Khan Younis, where dozens of children holding pots lined up to receive soup, organizers said the suspension of deliveries would hit their provision of free meals for 20,000 people. The meals were meant to cover the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on Saturday. But merchants had raised meat prices, meaning the menu had to change. "The kitchen's administration prepared a plan for the month of Ramadan, but the closure of the crossings has disrupted all the plans," said one of the organizers, Abu Omar. "On the first day of Ramadan, we served approximately 1,200 to 1,400 portions of meat and rice, but the closure of the crossings and the disappearance of goods in the markets led to us serving mujadara [a rice and lentil dish] and soups today," Abu Omar told Reuters. The war began when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on Oct.7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's campaign has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, and displaced most of the population. Some children amputees leave to Jordan for treatment Meanwhile, Arab leaders adopted an Egyptian reconstruction plan for Gaza on Tuesday that would cost $53 billion US and avoid resettling Palestinians, in contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump's "Middle East Riviera" vision, according to a copy of the plan. Meeting with Trump at the White House last month, Jordan's King Abdullah II offered to take in some 2,000 children for medical treatment. The first batch of 29 children left Gaza for Jordan on Tuesday, according to Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. The children are being accompanied by up to two family members. Jordan said the children are amputees, and will return to Gaza when their treatment is complete. The kingdom has also set up field hospitals in Gaza and delivered aid by air and land.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Palestinians fear hunger as Israel stops aid shipments to Gaza
STORY: Gazans gather at a charity soup kitchen in Khan Younis to receive Ramadan meals cooked by volunteers. Saturday was the first day of Ramadan - two days later, after Israel stopped aid deliveries to Gaza, organizers said they'd had to change the menu from meat to lentils because of price increases. Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks on Sunday as a standoff over Gaza's truce escalated. Humanitarian aid agencies warned Gaza's limited stockpiles of food, medicine and shelter supplies may spoil. Volunteers at the kitchen, which provides meals for 20,000 people, feared food shortages. Here's organizer Abu Omar. "The kitchen administration prepared a plan for the month of Ramadan, but the closure of the crossings has disrupted all the plans, because of the closure and the extremely high prices." Hamas-run authorities deployed in local markets to question and detain merchants who put up their prices, according to Hamas sources and witnesses. Ayoub Maarouf and his family break their Ramadan fast on the rubble of their house in Jabalia, a sign of the desperate need Palestinians face after the 16-month-long war. Philippe Lazzarini, head of U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, said Israel's suspension of deliveries threatened lives, and that aid and basic services "must never be used as a weapon of war." More than 300 trucks were stopped from crossing the border from Egypt on Sunday, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross. While the Norwegian Refugee Council warned agencies could end up halting shipments of aid altogether, because keeping aid trucks waiting in queues is costly. Maarouf fears the return of the hunger they suffered in wartime. 'We saw our children die at our feet and in front of our eyes and we couldn't do anything for them, because of the famine that we witnessed. We ate grass - we cooked grass and ate it with spoons." Israel, while announcing the aid suspension, said it will not allow a ceasefire without the release of all remaining hostages. Hamas has denounced Israel's move as "blackmail" and a "blatant coup against the agreement."
Reuters
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Hamas moves to control prices in Gaza after Israel suspends deliveries
CAIRO/GAZA, March 4 (Reuters) - Israel's block on deliveries into the war-stricken Gaza Strip has led to price increases and fears of food shortages, prompting punitive measures from the Hamas-run authorities against merchants, according to Hamas sources and witnesses. Members of the Hamas-run police force were deployed in local markets across Gaza, asserting their presence on the ground despite a 15-month Israeli aerial and ground offensive against the Palestinian militant group. They questioned and detained merchants, ordering them not to raise prices during a standoff over a ceasefire deal, and seized supplies that were later resold at lower prices, the four sources and witnesses said. Local authorities also urged residents to report misconduct by merchants, saying that food supplies in Gaza would last just two weeks. "Punishing junior sellers in markets is good, but Hamas must act against the big merchants who control what we eat," said one witness, asking not to be named for fear of retribution. Israel announced on Sunday that it was stopping the entry of goods into Gaza, citing a dispute with Hamas over how to proceed with the phased, U.S.-backed ceasefire that brought a halt to heavy fighting in January. Hamas has urged mediators to pressure Israel to begin talks on the second stage and reopen Gaza's crossings. Israel's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Hamas had been using aid to continue fighting Israel. Israel says Gaza has enough food for many months. Humanitarian agencies, however, say supplies for food, medicine and shelter in Gaza are limited and that stranded aid might spoil. RAMADAN MEALS Philippe Lazzarini, head of U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, said Israel's suspension of deliveries threatened lives among Gaza's 2.3 million population, exhausted by war. "Aid and these basic services are nonnegotiable. They must never be used as weapons of war," Lazzarini said in a post on X. At a soup kitchen in Gaza's Khan Younis, where dozens of children holding pots lined up to receive soup, organizers said the suspension of deliveries would hit their provision of free meals for 20,000 people. The meals were meant to cover the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on Saturday. But merchants had raised meat prices, meaning the menu had to change. "The kitchen's administration prepared a plan for the month of Ramadan, but the closure of the crossings has disrupted all the plans," said one of the organizers, Abu Omar. "On the first day of Ramadan, we served approximately 1,200 to 1,400 portions of meat and rice, but the closure of the crossings and the disappearance of goods in the markets led to us serving 'mujadara' (a rice and lentil dish) and soups today," Abu Omar told Reuters. The war began when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's campaign has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, and displaced most of the population. Arab states met in Cairo on Tuesday to try to advance a longer-term plan for Gaza that would counter U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for a Middle East Riviera in the territory.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hamas moves to control prices in Gaza after Israel suspends deliveries
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Hatem Khaled CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) - Israel's block on deliveries into the war-stricken Gaza Strip has led to price increases and fears of food shortages, prompting punitive measures from the Hamas-run authorities against merchants, according to Hamas sources and witnesses. Members of the Hamas-run police force were deployed in local markets across Gaza, asserting their presence on the ground despite a 15-month Israeli aerial and ground offensive against the Palestinian militant group. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. They questioned and detained merchants, ordering them not to raise prices during a standoff over a ceasefire deal, and seized supplies that were later resold at lower prices, the four sources and witnesses said. Local authorities also urged residents to report misconduct by merchants, saying that food supplies in Gaza would last just two weeks. "Punishing junior sellers in markets is good, but Hamas must act against the big merchants who control what we eat," said one witness, asking not to be named for fear of retribution. Israel announced on Sunday that it was stopping the entry of goods into Gaza, citing a dispute with Hamas over how to proceed with the phased, U.S.-backed ceasefire that brought a halt to heavy fighting in January. Hamas has urged mediators to pressure Israel to begin talks on the second stage and reopen Gaza's crossings. Israel's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Hamas had been using aid to continue fighting Israel. Israel says Gaza has enough food for many months. Humanitarian agencies, however, say supplies for food, medicine and shelter in Gaza are limited and that stranded aid might spoil. RAMADAN MEALS Philippe Lazzarini, head of U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, said Israel's suspension of deliveries threatened lives among Gaza's 2.3 million population, exhausted by war. "Aid and these basic services are nonnegotiable. They must never be used as weapons of war," Lazzarini said in a post on X. At a soup kitchen in Gaza's Khan Younis, where dozens of children holding pots lined up to receive soup, organizers said the suspension of deliveries would hit their provision of free meals for 20,000 people. The meals were meant to cover the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began on Saturday. But merchants had raised meat prices, meaning the menu had to change. "The kitchen's administration prepared a plan for the month of Ramadan, but the closure of the crossings has disrupted all the plans," said one of the organizers, Abu Omar. "On the first day of Ramadan, we served approximately 1,200 to 1,400 portions of meat and rice, but the closure of the crossings and the disappearance of goods in the markets led to us serving 'mujadara' (a rice and lentil dish) and soups today," Abu Omar told Reuters. The war began when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's campaign has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, and displaced most of the population. Arab states met in Cairo on Tuesday to try to advance a longer-term plan for Gaza that would counter U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for a Middle East Riviera in the territory.
