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Life in Qatif Remains Comfortable Even With Temporary Lockdown

Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis
Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis
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Life in Qatif Remains Comfortable Even With Temporary Lockdown

Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis
Mayas Market, Qatif. Photograph by Issa al-Dabis

With the temporary lockdown in the province of Qatif, in eastern Saudi Arabia, entering its second week, the situation in the province on the coast of the Arabian Gulf seems ordinary despite concerns of the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The medical staff there are working tirelessly, especially in Qatif Central Hospital, where people infected with the virus are being treated.

Two days ago, a patient who was infected in Iran became the hospital's first patient to recover from the virus. 

In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, Dr. Zaki al-Zaher, the Chief Executive of Medical and Clinical Affairs in the Department of Health in Qatif, said that the medical team at the Qatif Central Hospital has been working hard to provide care to those infected and that their efforts have led to the recovery of some cases. He added that the Saudi Ministry of Health provided substantive support to medical teams and other employees fighting the virus, including the provision of an airplane to transfer samples to laboratories outside the eastern region in order to accelerate work and make it more efficient. He also said that he was optimistic that “Soon, we will have other recoveries… The effort being exerted is strong, wide and organized, and it will be fruitful."

On Qatif's waterfront, stretching from Saihat south of Qatif, the residents appeared to be living normally. Asharq Al-Awsat observed that many people were playing sports while their presence in markets was sparse amid warnings against crowded gatherings for fear of the virus spreading. A number of families said that they understand the necessity of the lockdown, and that they appreciate the collaborative effort of government agencies to provide the province with its needs.

Qatif includes cities like Saihat, Safwa, Ank and the city of Qatif. It also includes Tarout Island, the second largest on the gulf after Bahrain, among several villages and towns. With the precautionary measures being implemented by the Ministry of Health, the Qatif Municipality has banned street vendors in order to maintain public health with severe penalties for whoever violates these regulations.

Combating Coronavirus takes many forms, including largely relying on people’s awareness. Patient visits have been temporarily suspended.

Government institutions, such as the Ministry of Commerce and municipalities are securing foodstuffs, including vegetables, fruits, and meat, while closely monitoring their sufficient availability. A delegate from the Ministry of Commerce conducted several visits to commercial centers and pharmacies in order to ensure the availability and accessibility of medications, sanitizers, and other items.

Precautionary measures included shutting down crowded markets, such as Qatif Mall, and regulating the work of coffeeshops so that no crowds are allowed in front of them, limiting services to instant takeaway. Shisha cafes have also been closed.

Mayyas market, a popular market in Qatif, remained open to customers as usual.

Many of the citizens who were quarantined, whether in the specified hospitals or in the hotels that they were transferred to after being suspected of carrying the virus, spoke of being well treated by the Saudi authorities in the airports and seaports.

Sheikh Hassan al-Saffar highlighted to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of religious scholars guiding people, commending the procedures followed by the Saudi Ministry of Health to combat the virus.

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Features

NATO Tests War Preparedness on Eastern Flank Facing Russia

France's Army personnel from the combat engineering corps maneuver a motorized floating bridge (PFM) across the Mures River during the "Dacian Fall" military exercise in Santimbru on November 3, 2025. (AFP)
France's Army personnel from the combat engineering corps maneuver a motorized floating bridge (PFM) across the Mures River during the "Dacian Fall" military exercise in Santimbru on November 3, 2025. (AFP)
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NATO Tests War Preparedness on Eastern Flank Facing Russia

France's Army personnel from the combat engineering corps maneuver a motorized floating bridge (PFM) across the Mures River during the "Dacian Fall" military exercise in Santimbru on November 3, 2025. (AFP)
France's Army personnel from the combat engineering corps maneuver a motorized floating bridge (PFM) across the Mures River during the "Dacian Fall" military exercise in Santimbru on November 3, 2025. (AFP)

On the Mures river in central Romania, French armored vehicles and Romanian trucks board a motorized floating bridge, part of a large military exercise to showcase NATO's ability to rapidly increase force levels on its eastern flank facing Russia.

The drill -- planned for months and seen as an "integration exercise" for NATO members -- comes after Washington last week said it would pull some troops out from the area.

Romania, which shares some 650 kilometers (400 miles) of border with Ukraine, has gained in strategic importance since Russia invaded its neighbor in 2022.

In the Dacian Fall exercise from October 20 to November 13, French-led troops from Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Spain are engaged in maneuvers and live-fire artillery and tank drills, together with Romanian soldiers.

Since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Paris has deployed nearly 1,500 soldiers in Romania and doubled them for the exercise. In case of a crisis, this can be increased to 5,000 troops.

"We must demonstrate our ability to integrate into a NATO division," said French General Maxime Do Tran, commander of the 7th Armored Brigade deployed for Dacian Fall.

The exercise, conducted across Romania, follows "NATO's real defense plans" and serves to signal the alliance's "strategic solidarity", he added.

While French army engineers skillfully dock the massive motorized barge on the banks of the Mures during one exercise, 200 meters (220 yards) away, Romanian engineers speedily put up a pontoon.

The French and Romanian teams will then switch roles.

"In Europe, there's a watercourse every 20 to 30 kilometers; crossing is a complex skill that had somewhat been lost," said Colonel Jerome Paris, head of the French engineering detachment.

About 60 kilometers to the north, amid sun-scorched grassy hills, Romanian General Dorin Toma, who commands NATO troops in Romania and Bulgaria, observes French engineers destroying obstacles identified by small quadcopter drones.

"It's an integration exercise," he said, adding that at the end of a two-year cycle to integrate forces "we're in a very good position".

The challenge is to maintain the level as "people are changing, weapons systems are changing".

"We need to keep the pace," he said.

On Washington's announcement that it would pull some troops out from NATO's eastern flank, General Toma said that from "a military standpoint, it changes nothing" given how the United States showed in 2022 that they were ready to deploy significant resources to the country at short notice.

Washington has denied its announcement amounted to a US withdrawal from Europe.

Romania's defense ministry said last week that 900-1,000 US soldiers would remain, down from the about 1,700 currently deployed.

Transporting equipment to Romania was a complex logistical operation that faced administrative hurdles.

For each country crossed, every license plate must be specified in documentation along with the names of personnel in the convoy, which has to be escorted by local police.

The French military prohibits, with some exceptions, the publication of surnames of its staff.

"Mobility corridors" with clearly identified routes and streamlined administrative procedures are a solution.

The Netherlands, Germany, and Poland are setting up one from North Sea ports to the Belarusian border.

"Harmonization is underway, but it takes time," Lieutenant Colonel Alexis said.

Features

Gaza’s Psychological Trauma Brings Large Numbers to Seek Help

Palestinian children watch a cartoon movie during an activity held by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, aimed at easing the psychological stress caused by the war, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinian children watch a cartoon movie during an activity held by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, aimed at easing the psychological stress caused by the war, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 28, 2025. (Reuters)
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Gaza’s Psychological Trauma Brings Large Numbers to Seek Help

Palestinian children watch a cartoon movie during an activity held by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, aimed at easing the psychological stress caused by the war, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinian children watch a cartoon movie during an activity held by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, aimed at easing the psychological stress caused by the war, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 28, 2025. (Reuters)

Gaza residents are suffering "a volcano" of psychological trauma from Israel's devastating military campaign that has become clear since last month's truce, according to Palestinian mental health specialists.

Two years of intense Israeli bombardment and repeated military incursions that local health authorities say have killed more than 68,000 people, along with widespread homelessness and hunger, have affected all of Gaza's 2.3 million inhabitants.

The crisis is evident in the large numbers now seeking treatment from the Gaza City Mental Health Hospital team, now working out of a nearby clinic because their building is damaged, said its head Abdallah al-Jamal.

"With the start of the truce, it was like a volcano erupting in patients seeking mental health services. Even the stigma that used to be present before, the fear of visiting a psychologist, does not exist anymore," he said, describing "a very large increase" in numbers from before the conflict.

Jamal and a colleague are working as best they can, but with the hospital having suffered significant damage their resources are limited and they have to share a room, depriving their patients of consultations in privacy.

"That is honestly insulting in the way services are provided, but we are trying as much as possible to find alternatives," he said of the more than 100 patients they see there every day.

Among children, there are widespread reports of night terrors, bed-wetting and other symptoms including an inability to focus, say mental health specialists for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

"Gazan children are now suffering from shortages of food, water, shelter, and clothing," said Nivine Abdelhadi, a specialist from the organization, which is offering activities for children that include games and stories.

The ceasefire came into effect on October 10, although there have been repeated outbreaks of violence since then. It brought a halt to major warfare in the conflict, which was triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed around 1,200 people according to Israeli tallies.

Features

A Rosy Life on Social Media Masks Gaza’s Bleak Reality

A Palestinian boy pushes a cart loaded with water containers in a displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Saturday (AP Photo)
A Palestinian boy pushes a cart loaded with water containers in a displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Saturday (AP Photo)
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A Rosy Life on Social Media Masks Gaza’s Bleak Reality

A Palestinian boy pushes a cart loaded with water containers in a displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Saturday (AP Photo)
A Palestinian boy pushes a cart loaded with water containers in a displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Saturday (AP Photo)

Anyone scrolling through social media and seeing the posts of some Gaza residents, including activists, influencers, and shop owners, might think the enclave had not endured a devastating two-year war whose effects still weigh heavily on every aspect of life and worsen by the day.

Images showing a handful of shops reopening after partial repairs, shared by influencers and users on various platforms, have been picked up by some Israeli media outlets portraying Gaza as if it had turned into a paradise.

Yet destruction remains widespread, thousands of victims are still buried under the rubble, and more than 1.5 million people continue to live in tents and shelters, exposed to winter’s cold or the current heat, while sporadic violations persist and more than 200 Palestinians have been killed in the past two weeks alone.

No Oversight or Accountability

Mariam Hamdan, 31, from Gaza City’s al-Nasr neighborhood, said that since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, she has heard about goods entering the enclave, but has seen little improvement in daily life.

Hamdan said she is often shocked by what she sees online, videos painting life in Gaza as “comfortable,” while prices remain exorbitant.

“The goods that do come in are unaffordable. Shop owners and influencers advertising products sell them at prices only someone in Europe could afford,” she told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We had hoped prices would return close to what they were before the war, or at least to levels seen during the first truce in January,” she said. “Instead, traders are waging their own war on us by draining our pockets with sky-high prices.”

Workers Without Options

Naaman al-Shanti, 53, an employee of the Palestinian Authority, said he has been unable to buy frozen chicken or meat for his family of nine since the ceasefire began. “We were all longing for it, but the prices are beyond reach,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

In fact, most Gazans cannot afford frozen goods even though some have reappeared in markets. A kilogram of frozen meat now costs at least 75 shekels (over $23) and sometimes as much as 120 shekels (over $36), compared with just 6 to 8 shekels ($1 to $2) before the war.

“We don’t know what to do anymore,” al-Shanti said angrily. “Life is unbearable. Then you see people posting videos as if we’re living in heaven, not in devastated, miserable Gaza, where most public employees can’t even feed their children.”

Hamas Under Fire

While Hamas-run authorities have largely remained silent, their teams have been seen in markets attempting to keep order. Activists, however, accuse the group of failing to take serious action to address the enclave’s worsening economic hardship, with some blaming it for corruption and a lack of effective governance.

In recent days, reports have emerged of aid theft, including flour, tents, and tarps, from shipments entering Gaza through the Philadelphi corridor along the coastal Rashid Street.

A prominent Gaza activist, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, told Asharq Al-Awsat: “During the war, the occupation and its collaborators exploited people by stealing aid and selling it on the black market.

Now that the war is over, we still see no serious effort to stop the exploitation of citizens’ daily needs. Goods like poultry and cooking gas are entering, but fairness in pricing and distribution is absent.”

He added: “People believed that once the fighting stopped, Hamas’s government would restore order, control prices, and curb exploitation. But the outcome is a big zero, as if we’re still at war.”

Hamas has often said its civil servants are targeted by Israel and face constant threats of assassination, a claim long echoed by field sources. But many residents and activists now dismiss that justification.

In a WhatsApp group of local journalists, one correspondent for a Palestinian TV channel wrote: “If those governing Gaza blamed the bombing and war for their failures, where are they now when it comes to easing citizens’ suffering and protecting them from this cruel exploitation? People who endured and sacrificed for a decision not of their own making are now being rewarded with greed and corruption.”

Another journalist added: “Everyone blames the Economy Ministry. What economy are they talking about, one that collects taxes but ignores citizens’ pain? The least that can be said about this behavior is that it betrays people’s sacrifices and resilience.”

Accusations of Taxing Traders

Accusations are also mounting that Hamas has resumed taxing traders.

Merchant Jamal Abd Rabbo told Asharq Al-Awsat that he buys frozen goods from major suppliers at steep prices and has to sell them slightly higher to make a small profit. He said top wholesalers told him the Hamas-run Economy Ministry imposes taxes on them, forcing prices up.

He added that high demand for poultry from restaurants and shawarma shops has further driven up prices.

The Hamas government has not publicly responded to the accusations.

However, government sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that authorities are preparing measures to curb the crisis, including shutting down restaurants and shawarma stands from Sunday to reserve frozen goods for households and deploying security forces to protect aid convoys along their routes.

Meanwhile, the Hamas-run Petroleum Authority has been accused of mishandling gas distribution, with activists claiming some supplies were diverted to restaurants.

A source familiar with the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that certain station owners received extra allocations as compensation for transport costs, which they then sold on the black market.

Commenting on the situation, Gaza resident Rami Shahadeh said: “We thought the war ended to bring relief. Instead, it seems it ended so Hamas could resume collecting taxes. We lived an illusion, thinking things would get better, but our endurance has only made us hostages to those exploiting us.”