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Gaza death toll rises to 47,161 as UN agency calls for urgent rebuilding efforts

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Gaza death toll rises to 47,161 as UN agency calls for urgent rebuilding efforts

2025-01-23 06:13 Last Updated At:16:27

The Palestinian death toll from Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip has risen to 47,161, with 111,166 others injured, Gaza-based health authorities reported in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

The statement highlighted the rising casualties in the Palestinian enclave, despite the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on Sunday.

In addition to the significant human toll, Israeli attacks have caused widespread destruction to Gaza's infrastructure.

The Palestinian Water Authority announced on Wednesday that Gaza's seawater desalination plant has been severely damaged, with over 90 percent of the production capacity destroyed.

The statement revealed that the Israeli military, at some point, used the plant as a military base during the conflict, leading to the destruction of most of its critical components. Estimates suggest that repairing the plant and restoring its operations could cost as much as 5 million U.S. dollars and may take up to a year to complete.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported on Tuesday that reconstruction efforts in Gaza are beyond the agency's capacity due to the scale of 15 months of damage.

The UN agency's statement highlighted that the priority for reconstruction is to restore vital services, including water supply, pipelines, and electricity. The destruction of essential infrastructure, such as water wells, power lines, and generators, has left many Gaza residents without clean water or reliable electricity.

The situation is further complicated by the presence of thousands of unexploded shells scattered across the region. Specialized teams are needed to locate missing persons trapped beneath the rubble, adding to the challenges for ongoing relief efforts.

Gaza death toll rises to 47,161 as UN agency calls for urgent rebuilding efforts

Gaza death toll rises to 47,161 as UN agency calls for urgent rebuilding efforts

Gaza death toll rises to 47,161 as UN agency calls for urgent rebuilding efforts

Gaza death toll rises to 47,161 as UN agency calls for urgent rebuilding efforts

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China ready to push ties with Argentina to higher level: FM

2025-02-15 22:02 Last Updated At:22:37

China is ready to work with Argentina to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and bring the bilateral relations to a new level, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

This will benefit the people of the two countries and help China and Latin America achieve common development and prosperity, Wang said. He made the remarks during a meeting with his Argentine counterpart Gerardo Werthein on the sidelines of the ongoing Munich Security Conference.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the Chinese and Argentine people have enjoyed a long-standing friendship, and China-Argentina cooperation is equal and mutually beneficial.

Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Argentine President Javier Milei held a meeting and reached important consensus on consolidating and developing bilateral relations, said Wang.

China is willing to work with Argentina to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and strengthen exchanges at the high level and in all fields, so as to bring the bilateral relations to a new level and better benefit the people of both countries, he said.

Wang also said the two sides should continue to respect and accommodate each other's core interests and major concerns, and continuously consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations.

Wang pointed out that China does not seek spheres of influence, nor does it participate in geopolitical competition. In international affairs, China firmly practices multilateralism and is willing to work with Latin American countries, including Argentina, to firmly safeguard the international rule of law and the basic norms of international relations, he said.

Wang noted that China-Argentina relations are an important part of China-Latin America relations. Over the past decade since its establishment, the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Forum has effectively promoted China-Latin America cooperation and brought tangible benefits to the people of both sides, he said.

China is willing to work with Latin American countries to support the development and growth of the China-CELAC Forum, helping China and Latin America achieve common development and prosperity, said Wang.

Werthein said that Argentina attaches great importance to its relations with China, and looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges and deepening pragmatic cooperation with China.

Noting that Argentina appreciates China's support for Argentina's defense of its sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, Werthein said Argentina firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to become a reliable and stable cooperative partner of China.

Werthein also said that Argentina will play an active role in promoting the development of Latin America-China relations on the basis of strengthening bilateral relations.

China ready to push ties with Argentina to higher level: FM

China ready to push ties with Argentina to higher level: FM

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