The United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has directed UAE hospitals to provide medical treatment for 1,000 Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip, the state news agency reported on Thursday.

Despite international calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, Israel continued heavy bombings on the densely populated Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said during a press conference on Wednesday that ground forces have broken through Hamas' front lines of defense in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during a visit of armored troops deployed on the Gaza border that Israel would continue coordinated strikes on Gaza from the air, ground and sea, and the military has taken actions to expose tunnels to "deal heavy blows to enemies within."

The Israeli military revealed in a statement that based on intelligence from the IDF and the U.S. Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), an IDF fighter jet struck Muhammad A'sar, head of Hamas anti-tank missile unit who had commanded "numerous missile attacks" on Israeli targets.

Israel continues bombing Gaza

The area around Al Quds Hospital in Gaza has endured heavy bombardment from the Israeli military, causing massive explosions that have left medical personnel and civilians in a state of panic, according to Palestine Red Crescent Society on Wednesday.

Since the break out of the conflict on October 7, Israel has frequently targeted the areas surrounding Al Quds Hospital, resulting in damage to parts of the hospital.

Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said the Turkish hospital was out of service under Israeli strikes and fuel shortage. Gaza medical officials also warned that the work of the largest Shifa Medical Complex, other hospitals and health institutions would stop within hours due to the exhaustion of fuel needed to operate electrical generators.

At least 195 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Hamas-run government media office said. Some 120 were still missing under the rubble, and at least 777 more were wounded, the office said in a statement.

Death toll of Palestinian-Israeli conflict exceeds 10,000

Palestinian health officials said more than 50 people were killed following an Israeli airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Tuesday. Hamas said seven of its hostages, including three holding foreign passports, were killed in the Israeli bombing of the refugee camp.

The number of Palestinian casualties in Gaza has now reached at least 8,796, including 3,648 children and 2,290 women, according to the Gaza-based health ministry. Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, more than 132 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers.

International aid

On Wednesday, the first group of some 500 foreign passport holders and some 80 injured left Gaza as the Rafah crossing to Egypt opened to civilians for the first time in more than three weeks, Xinhua reported, citing Egyptian and Palestinian sources. 

Meanwhile, a total of 55 trucks of medical supplies and humanitarian aid have entered the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing, with 100 trucks carrying aid are expected to enter Gaza the next day, according to Egypt's Al-Ahram newspaper. 

Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), crossed into Gaza on Wednesday, where he met with Palestinian civilians and other UNRWA colleagues working in the territory, according to the Times of Israel. 

On the diplomatic front, Bolivia has severed its diplomatic ties with Israel, citing the Palestinian death toll in Gaza. Meanwhile, Jordan, Chile and Colombia have recalled their ambassadors.

Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday urged Muslim governments to unite and stop oil and other exports to Israel to pressure the latter to cease its attacks on Gaza.

(With input from agencies)

Lebanon's Hezbollah announced that they destroyed an Israeli drone with a surface-to-air missile in the airspace above two border villages, Al Arabiya reported on Thursday.

At least 195 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Hamas-run government media office said.

Some 120 were still missing under the rubble, and at least 777 more were wounded, the office said in a statement.

Israel said it had targeted and killed Hamas leaders in the camp.

The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell says he was "appalled" by the high number of casualties from the bombing by Israel of a refugee camp in Gaza and called for fighting parties to respect the international rules of conflict.

Palestinian health officials said at least 50 Palestinians were killed when Israeli air strikes hit the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp in north Gaza on Tuesday. Israel said the strike had killed a ringleader of last month's deadly Hamas attack on the country.

"Building on (the) EU Council's clear stance that Israel has the right to defend itself in line with international humanitarian law and ensuring the protection of all civilians, I am appalled by the high number of casualties following the bombing by Israel of the Jabalia refugee camp," Borrell said in a statement on X. "Laws of war and humanity must always apply, including when it comes to humanitarian assistance."

EU leaders last week called for pauses in Israeli bombing and Hamas rocket attacks to get humanitarian aid into Gaza through safe corridors, as they said they were deeply concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the area.

UN and other aid officials said civilians in the besieged Palestinian enclave were facing a public health catastrophe, with hospitals struggling to treat snowballing casualties as electricity supplies peter out.

"With each passing day, as the situation becomes more and more dire, this is more urgent than ever," Borrell said as he repeated last week's plea. "The safety and the protection of civilians is not only a moral but a legal obligation."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the international calls for a "humanitarian pause" in the fighting, saying that Hamas would take advantage of any truce

First foreign nationals reach Egypt

Meanwhile, the first group of foreign passport holders have been evacuated from the Gaza strip and have reached the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, two sources at the border and local media said on Wednesday.

The Rafah crossing opened to allow a limited number of people to cross from Gaza into Egypt. It is expected that foreign nationals, dual-passport holders and some of the most seriously injured will be allowed through by Egyptian authorities, in a deal said to be brokered by Qatar.

Parents with strollers and elderly people were seen among those getting off a bus on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing in footage broadcast by an Egyptian TV channel close to the intelligence services. 

A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said there are several thousand foreigners in the Gaza Strip but that they will not all be able to leave in one day. Germany has informed its citizens in Gaza about the possibility of leaving the enclave via the Rafah border crossing.

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Italy is working to get the first Italian citizens out of the region, the Italian foreign minister said on Wednesday. "This morning the Rafah crossing was opened and the first people started to be evacuated. We are working so that the first Italians can also leave the Gaza Strip," Antonio Tajani wrote on X.

'A ceasefire and peace have become more essential'

Turkey and Iran on Wednesday called for a regional conference aimed at averting the spread of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian a day after Iran's top diplomat met Hamas leaders in Qatar.

Iran has warned that armed groups it supports in the region could attack Israel in light of its conflict with Hamas. Fidan said Turkey was pushing for an immediate ceasefire because "it is not difficult to predict that this spiral of violence will grow" without a permanent solution to the escalation.

"We do not want the human tragedy in Gaza to turn into a war that affects the region's countries," he said. The Iranian foreign minister "shared with us that there are strong indications that other armed elements in the region may intervene in the conflict if conditions do not change", Fidan added. "A ceasefire and peace have become more essential."

Amir-Abdollahian said a peace conference involving "Muslim and Arab" countries should be held "as soon as possible". He also called on the Muslim world to boycott Israeli products because of the war.

Israel has been pounding the Gaza Strip since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7 and, killed more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians, according to Israeli officials. The bombing campaign has killed more than 8,796 people, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

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Jordan's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday immediately summoned the Jordanian Ambassador to Israel back to Jordan. 

The ministry said in a statement that Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also requested that the Israeli Foreign Ministry not send the Israeli ambassador, who left due to security precautions at the beginning of the conflict last month, back to Amman.

The decision was "an expression of Jordan's position of rejection and condemnation of the raging Israeli war on Gaza," the statement said. 

Jordan's Foreign Ministry also announced on Wednesday that it will start evacuating Jordanian citizens from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing in coordination with the Egyptian government. 

Alarms were sounding in Tel Aviv and the surrounding area, army radio reported Wednesday. 

China has been conducting intensive communication with the relevant parties, working hard for a ceasefire and an end to the hostilities, and calling for a return to peace since the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis broke out on October 7, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the ministry, detailed China's position and efforts to help seek a resolution to the conflict at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

During a meeting with Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly, who was in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on October 19, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated China's principled position on the current Palestinian-Israeli situation.

Xi stressed that the top priority is to stop the fighting as soon as possible and prevent the conflict from spreading or getting out of control and causing a severe humanitarian crisis.

The fundamental way out of the recurring Palestinian-Israeli conflicts is to implement the two-state solution, establish an independent State of Palestine and achieve peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel, the Chinese president said.

Since the start of the latest conflict, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's foreign minister, has conducted extensive communications with foreign ministers and senior officials of 14 countries and the heads of international organizations such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Wang Yi said the international community must act with a sense of urgency, the United Nations Security Council should effectively assume its responsibilities, and countries outside the region, especially major countries, should be objective and impartial and play a constructive role in de-escalating the tensions, according to the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The spokesperson also said Zhai Jun, China's special envoy on the Middle East issue, has recently visited Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, attended a summit on the Palestine question held in Cairo, and met with Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Zhai has made clear China's support of Arab countries carrying out mediation and urged the international community to create conditions for restarting the peace process, according to the spokesperson.

China has also provided emergency humanitarian cash assistance to the Palestinian National Authority and the UNRWA and provided food, medicine and other emergency material assistance to the Gaza Strip, said the spokesperson.

(Cover: A file photo of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. /CFP)

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that it welcomes Egypt's decision to accept 81 injured and sick people from the Gaza Strip for treatment.

The injured left Gaza for Egypt to receive further treatment for the first time since the conflict erupted.

The WHO said, "Thousands more people inside the Gaza Strip continue to need access to urgent and essential health services amid shortages of medicines, health supplies and other aid such as fuel, water and food."

The Turkish Friendship Hospital in the Gaza Strip, the only hospital for treating cancer patients in this area, has stopped working due to bombing and lack of fuel, Palestinian health ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

At least 8,796 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza from Israeli retaliatory strikes, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza on Wednesday.

Dozens of people were killed and wounded in a bombing at a residential square in Jabalia camp in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a day after the area was struck heavily by Israeli airstrikes, Al Arabiya reported.

The death toll in the Palestine-Israel conflict in the Gaza Strip surpassed 10,000 as of October 31, which marked the 25th day of the conflict, according to health officials.

The health ministry in Gaza reported that at least 8,525 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza as of October 31. According to the Israeli Ministry of Health, over 1,400 people in Israel have lost their lives in the current round of fighting. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East issued a statement, stating that 63 of its employees had been killed, and 22 others had been injured.

Adam C. Bouloukos, director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the West Bank, has called for respect for international humanitarian law as civilians struggle in desperation amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to Bouloukos, some 670,000 displaced civilians are taking shelter at the UN's 149 campsites in Gaza, where Israeli air strikes have killed thousands. Apart from living under the shadow of violence, refugees are facing severe supply shortages, from water and nourishment to electricity that powers hospitals.

The first ambulances carrying wounded Palestinians from the Gaza Strip entered Egypt via the Rafah crossing on Wednesday, Egyptian media reported. 

At least one child was visible in one of the ambulances, shown in live footage, with officials saying around 90 of the most seriously wounded would be allowed to cross for treatment in Egyptian hospitals. 

The evacuation of the wounded, along with some foreign passport holders earlier on the day, was reportedly the result of a Qatar-brokered deal between Egypt, Israel and Hamas in coordination with the U.S.

(With input from agencies) 

Communications have restored in the Gaza Strip after interruption for hours, local media reported Wednesday. 

Hamas armed wing, Al-Qassam brigades, said on Wednesday that seven civilian hostages were killed in strikes on Jabalia refugee camp, including three foreign passport holders, Reuters reported. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel's war in Gaza would be long but victorious, in a statement in which he also mourned mounting military losses.

"We are in a tough war. It will be a long war," he said. "I promise to all citizens of Israel: We will get the job done. We will press ahead until victory." 

Dozens of ambulances entered the Gaza Strip on Wednesday through the Rafah crossing with Egypt to transfer about a number of wounded Palestinians for further treatment, Egyptian media reported.

The Egyptian National Alliance and volunteers would continue to prepare aid trucks to support the Gaza Strip, the report said. 

The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that 240 people are held hostage in Gaza. 

Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari also stated that they have notified the families of 326 deceased Israeli soldiers to date.

The Israeli military said it had deployed missile boats in the Red Sea on Wednesday as reinforcements, a day after the Iran-aligned Houthi movement said it had launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and vowed to carry out more. 

A first group of foreign passport holders in Gaza passed through the Rafah terminal to Egypt on Wednesday, live TV footage showed.

It's the first time the Rafah crossing has opened from Gaza's side since the start of the conflict between Hamas and Israel on October 7.

Previously, Gaza Borders and Crossings Authority published a list of more than 500 foreigners and dual citizenship holders, asking them to head towards the Rafah crossing on Wednesday morning in order to leave Gaza.

And some 81 seriously injured Palestinians were also allowed to leave Gaza to Egypt, according to Al Jazeera and Egyptian news.

The Israeli security forces have attacked over 11,000 Hamas targets since October 7, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday.

The ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict in Gaza has entered the 26th day. CGTN Stringer recorded a funeral at the Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Prayers and condolences were expressed for the dozens of people killed in the Israeli bombings. One man clutched a body bag and refused to let go, weeping over the pain of his loss. After the funeral, the bodies were taken to the burial site in a horse-drawn carriage.

The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned Sunday that "civil order" was starting to collapse in Gaza after three weeks of war and a tight siege. Supplies on the market are running out while the humanitarian aid coming into the strip on trucks from Egypt is insufficient.

A CGTN Stringer recorded the daily lives of Gaza people amid the conflict in Khan Yunis. Adults and children lined up waiting for haircuts. A barber said that although his customers are currently homeless due to the war, he and his companions hope to provide comfort to them by providing haircut services, hoping that the war can end soon.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that nine soldiers had been killed in Gaza during the fighting, without immediately providing details about the location or timing,  IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said on social media. 

On October 20, the Secretary-General of the United Nations called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, and for humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. Take a look at the past 10 days' timeline.

The Palestinian Telecommunications Company on Wednesday announced a complete interruption of communications and internet services in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. Senate voted largely along party lines on Tuesday to confirm Jacob Lew as the country's next ambassador to Israel.

Lew, former treasury secretary during the Barack Obama administration, was confirmed by the upper chamber in a 53-43 vote, with two Republicans breaking with their party and joining all the Democrats in approving his nomination.

Nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden in September, Lew will face the mounting task of tackling the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas when he assumes his first ever ambassadorial post.

The United States has been without a Senate-confirmed ambassador for Israel since the former envoy, Thomas Nides, left this summer. Lew's confirmation process has been expedited in the face of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

U.S. President Joe Biden would veto a House of Representatives Republican bill to provide aid to Israel but not Ukraine, which includes cuts to funding for the Internal Revenue Service, were it to pass both chambers, the White House said on Tuesday.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric said on Tuesday the country was recalling its ambassador from Israel for consultation after Israel's violations of the international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip.

"Chile strongly condemns and observes with great concern ... these military operations," Boric wrote in a post on social media platform X.

Separately, Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego also said they have decided to recall their ambassador from Israel for consultation.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday "emphasized the need to take feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians" during a telephone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the State Department said, amid the conflict with Hamas.

Israel intensified its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, sending troops deep into the Palestinian territory and clashing with Hamas militants in fierce battles.

The Rafah border crossing is set to open Wednesday to allow injured Palestinians to be treated in Egyptian hospitals. The crossing has been closed since the outbreak of fighting on October 7 and is sporadically opened to allow entry of only a limited number of aid trucks.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), said on Tuesday that it is ready to release, within a few days, some hostages with foreign nationalities it is holding in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday stated that the amount of aid permitted into the Gaza Strip is "completely inadequate" to address the growing needs of the civilians caught in the escalating fighting.

Bolivia's government on Tuesday said it had broken diplomatic ties with Israel "in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive" in the Gaza Strip.

Over 200 people were killed in Israeli bombing in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, Palestine's WAFA news agency reported.

There is no immediate comment from Israel.

The death toll as a result of bombings in Jabalia camp in northern Gaza has risen to 100, Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday, citing the local health authority.

The Gaza authority said in a social media post that the attack targeted residential buildings in Jabalia camp and that hundreds of victims were sent to hospital without giving the number of deaths.

Gaza's civil defense director said Israeli air forces were behind the attack and destroyed a local district with six U.S.-made bombs.

There's no immediate response from Israel regarding the attack. 

NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday condemned the attacks on Israel by Hamas and said the Israeli response in Gaza must respect international law.

"We condemn Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel," Stoltenberg said in a speech in Oslo. "At the same time it is important that Israel's response takes place within international law, that civilian lives are protected and that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza," he added.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the UN General Assembly on October 30. The UN General Assembly on Friday adopted, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution calling for an immediate and durable humanitarian truce, which has pointed in the right direction, said Zhang Jun.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said on Tuesday that they have launched a "large number" of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces ... confirm that they will continue to carry out qualitative strikes with missiles and drones until the Israeli aggression stops," the group's military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement.

The claim came after Israel said it downed an approaching "aerial target" as air raid sirens went off in the area of the Red Sea city of Eilat on Tuesday.

(With input from agencies)

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, met in Qatar, IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

The Israeli military said on Tuesday its forces intercepted a missile fired from the Red Sea region.

"A surface-to-surface missile was fired toward Israeli territory from the area of the Red Sea and was successfully intercepted by the 'Arrow' aerial defense system," the military said in a statement.

The Israeli ground forces entered the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday and were stationed in Al-Karama in the Palestinian enclave, the Hamas-run Interior Ministry said.

At least 8,525 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza from Israeli retaliatory strikes, according to the health ministry in Gaza on Tuesday.

The number of people that confirmed being held hostage in Gaza is 240, the Israeli military announced on Tuesday morning.

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed it fired drones toward Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for its conflict with Hamas, AFP news agency reported, citing a senior official.

"These drones belong to the state of Yemen," Abdelaziz bin Habtour, prime minister of the Houthi government, said when asked about drones launched toward Eilat in southern Israel.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli media outlets reported that Israel had shot down a drone over the Red Sea. The reports said the drone was intercepted outside Eilat, a southern Israeli port and resort town on the Red Sea near Jordan.

(With input from AFP)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on social media on Tuesday that it had struck approximately 300 targets during its ground operations in Gaza over the past day, and "numerous" Hamas members had been killed.

Ten International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) experts, including a war surgery team and six ICRC trucks carrying urgently needed medical material and water purification supplies, arrived in Gaza on Friday.

"The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is deepening by the hour," the organization said.

On Sunday, CGTN Stringer visited a hospital in Khan Yunis on the Gaza Strip where a batch of medical supplies provided by ICRC has just arrived.

Though some emergency drugs have been replenished, Dr Nahed Abu Taima, director of the Nasser Medical Hospital, said certain drugs, especially anesthetic drugs, are still needed, as they have already been used up and were not included in the new shipment.

China's special envoy on the Middle East issue on Monday stressed the importance of creating conditions to restart the Middle East peace process on the basis of the two-state solution and the "land for peace" principle.

Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, made the remarks during a meeting with Ayman Safadi, Jordan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, in the latest of his talks with regional diplomats since the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis broke out on October 7.

China is "deeply concerned" about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, said Zhai, who urged the international community, especially the United Nations Security Council, to act and take concrete measures to promote a ceasefire and an end to the hostilities as soon as possible.

"At the same time, we must take a long-term view and create conditions for restarting the Middle East peace process on the basis of the two-state solution and the 'land for peace' principle," he said.

The issue of land is at the core of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. According to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), for a long time the efforts aimed at achieving a settlement to the conflict were based on the principle of "land for peace."

The "land for peace" principle means that that if Israel withdraws from the occupied Arab territories, including the occupied Palestinian land, the Arabs will make peace with Israel, according to the ESCWA.

The meeting between the Chinese special envoy and the Jordanian foreign minister came days after the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution presented by Jordan that calls for a humanitarian truce in Gaza.

The resolution was adopted on Friday with 120 votes in favor, 14 votes against and 45 abstentions.

During Monday's meeting, Zhai said the adoption of the resolution has shown the strong call of the international community, especially Arab and Islamic countries, for a ceasefire and an end to the hostilities.

As a co-sponsor of the draft of the resolution, China highly appreciates and supports the important and unique role Jordan has played on the issue at this critical moment, he said.

Safadi said the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has brought huge damage to Gaza and impacted regional security and stability.

He said Israel's collective punishment of civilians in Gaza will only bring more risks of instability to the region and will never bring peace.

The root cause of the conflict lies in the deprivation of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, Safadi added.

Only by correctly and comprehensively understanding the historical context of the Palestinian question can a political solution to the issue be found, he said.

Editor's note: Ruqiya Anwar, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a PhD scholar of Media and Communication Studies in Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

In a world that is often marked by division, conflict and suffering, the power of compassion knows no boundaries. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is the consequence of the long-running Palestinian-Israeli conflict, has emphasized the critical need for international assistance in alleviating the suffering of innocent civilians caught up in the war. China has stepped forward with steadfast compassion in this moment of despair, exemplifying the spirit of compassion across borders.

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is one of the world's most enduring and most deeply rooted, with decades of tension, violence and geopolitical intricacies. Gaza, a small strip of territory on the Mediterranean's eastern shore, has borne the brunt of this war.

The recent escalation of violence in the region has taken a heavy toll on people, including the loss of innocent lives, the destruction of houses and infrastructure, and serious disruptions in key services. Because of this severe scenario, worldwide humanitarian assistance is desperately needed.

China has proved its unwavering commitment to giving humanitarian relief to those in need, exemplifying the notion that compassion knows no bounds. The Chinese government, led by its deep commitment to humanitarian values, has declared its plan to deliver another batch of emergency humanitarian assistance totaling 15 million Chinese yuan (about $2.05 million). The aid includes critical commodities such as food and medicine, and it is intended to provide much-needed respite to Gaza's embattled populace.

China's sincere response to the grave situation in Gaza is emphasized by its recognition of the devastating toll that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has taken on civilian lives, as well as the significant deterioration of the region's humanitarian condition.

Xu Wei, the spokeswoman for the China International Development Cooperation Agency, expressed China's heartfelt concern over the hardship endured by the people of Gaza, including civilian casualties and serious disruptions to key services. China recognizes the gravity of the issue and is completely committed to reaching out to people in need.

This current humanitarian aid commitment is an extension of China's continuous assistance to the people of Gaza. Previously in August, the Chinese government donated $1 million to support the education program of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

In a world dominated by political conflicts and opposing ideologies, China's dedication to sending humanitarian aid to Gaza serves as a moving symbol that compassion transcends borders. The humanitarian disaster in Gaza is a global concern. It appeals to worldwide solidarity and the crossing of physical and political barriers to deliver much-needed aid to the suffering community.

While we applaud China's act of compassion, we must also urge other nations and international organizations to join us in this critical mission to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The global community is no stranger to crisis. Throughout history, humanity has encountered numerous challenges ranging from natural disasters to conflicts and pandemics. While these crises often put nations and individuals to the test, they also give chances for the global community to come together in acts of compassion and solidarity.

In the aftermath of the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has emerged as one such concern. It emphasizes the importance of unity and worldwide solidarity in solving the region's urgent humanitarian catastrophe.

Let this be a call to action for all nations to stretch their hands in solidarity, for it is only through collective compassion and cooperation that we will be able to make a difference in the lives of those in the most need. In a world that can appear divided and apathetic at times, acts of kindness like this one serve as a testament to the goodness that exists.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at [email protected]. Follow @thouse_opinions on Twitter to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday rejected calls for a ceasefire as Israeli troops continued ground operations in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu told the foreign media in Tel Aviv that a ceasefire "will not happen" and emphasized that "Israel did not start this war. Israel did not want this war. But Israel will win this war."

Also on Monday, wearing a badge of a yellow star, a sign of identifying Jews that was used to humiliate and exclude them in history, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Gilad Erdan told the UN Security Council that he would not take off the badge until countries condemn Hamas.

"Some of you have learned nothing in the past 80 years. Some of you have forgotten why this body was established," he says. "So, I will remind you. From this day on, each time you look at me, you will remember what staying silent in the face of evil means."

Meanwhile, the Israeli troops continued ground operations in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said during clashes with Hamas militants in Gaza, the IDF troops killed dozens of those who barricaded themselves in buildings and tunnels and attempted to attack the troops.

One statement noted that over the last few days, the IDF struck over 600 Hamas targets, including weapons depots and anti-tank missile launching positions, as well as hideouts and staging grounds used by Hamas.

Rocket sirens sounded in various locations in Israel on Monday, including surrounding areas of Gaza, northern towns close to the border with Lebanon, and the western Sea of Galilee, as well as in Jerusalem. Israeli authorities announced that approximately 8,000 rockets have been fired toward Israel since Hamas attack on October 7, which triggered the latest conflict.

The death toll of Palestinians from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 8,382, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, while more than 1,400 people in Israel lost their lives, according to authorities in the country.

UN officials say more than 1.4 million of Gaza's civilian population of about 2.3 million have been made homeless. UNICEF says the situation in Gaza is growing worse by the hour, and the "true cost of this latest escalation will be measured in children's lives."

Save the Children, an international non-governmental organization, reported that nearly 3,200 children have been killed in Gaza in just three weeks.

Noting this surpasses the number of children killed annually across the world's conflict zones since 2019, Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said on Monday that "this cannot be 'collateral damage'."

Churches, mosques, hospitals and UNRWA facilities, including those sheltering displaced people, have not been spared. Too many people have been killed and injured while seeking safety in places protected by international humanitarian law, Lazzarini told the Security Council.

"An immediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions. The present and future of Palestinians and Israelis depend on it. I urge all (UN) member states to change the trajectory of this crisis, and work toward a genuine political solution – before it's too late," he said.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv on October 28, 2023. /CFP)

At least 15 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a house near the medical services headquarters in Az-Zawayda in the central Gaza Strip, Palestine's Wafa news agency reported early on Tuesday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced in a statement on Monday that one Israeli soldier, who was abducted to the Gaza Strip by Hamas on October 7, has been rescued during its ground operations.

The IDF did not elaborate on the circumstances of the release. It said previously that a total of 239 people were taken hostage during the Hamas attack.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday discussed the situation in Gaza with Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud at the White House, affirming the urgent need to increase humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza, according to a White House statement.

Some 193 trucks carrying 3,100 tons of humanitarian aid have passed through the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on their way to the Gaza Strip since the delivery of aid began on October 21, an Egyptian official said on Monday.

"Aid relief included food items, water and medicine," Osama el-Ghandour, secretary general of North Sinai province said in a press statement.

El-Ghandour said the medical team in North Sinai is prepared to treat the wounded Palestinians once they are permitted to leave the besieged coastal enclave, adding that three areas are allocated now in Arish and Sheikh Zuweid cities to host the families of the injured people.

Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, firing thousands of rockets and infiltrating Israeli territory, to which Israel responded with massive airstrikes, ground operations, and punitive measures that included a siege on the Gaza Strip with supplies of water, electricity, fuel, and other necessities being cut off.

At least 1,400 people in Israel were killed, and a total of 239 people were taken hostage during the Hamas attacks, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The Palestinian death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip rose to 8,306, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Monday. Meanwhile, 21,048 Palestinians were wounded by the ongoing Israeli airstrikes, it added.

On October 21, 20 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing, the only border crossing between the besieged enclave and Egypt.