A send-off ceremony for three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceflight mission was held on Thursday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
The Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship is scheduled to blast off at 17:17 (Beijing Time) from the launch site to dock with China's Tiangong space station.
The three Chinese astronauts, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, reported to the commander-in-chief of China's manned space program Xu Xueqiang that they were ready to undertake their mission.
After receiving an order from the commander-in-chief, the astronauts boarded a vehicle and departed for the launch site amid cheers from a crowd of well-wishers.
The three astronauts will take over command of China's Tiangong space station from the Shenzhou-19 crew currently in orbit, and will spend about six months in space.
Shenzhou-20 is the 35th flight mission of China's manned space program, and the fifth crewed mission during the application and development stage of China's space station.
Send-off ceremony held for Shenzhou-20 astronauts before launch
Send-off ceremony held for Shenzhou-20 astronauts before launch
Send-off ceremony held for Shenzhou-20 astronauts before launch
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is ready to completely withdraw from the governmental scene in the Gaza Strip and engage in a positive and constructive manner with the second phase of the plan to end the war in the enclave, said Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim on Friday. In a statement, Naim said that the ceasefire deal became an international plan after being adopted by the United Nations Security Council. However, it is now facing obstacles.
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of reneging on his commitments and escalating the situation, in an attempt to return to war and save his political career. Pointing out that Israeli strikes have caused hundreds of casualties since the announcement of the ceasefire, the Hamas official said the escalation cannot occur without cover or green light from the United States. He said Hamas has committed to all its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, as attested by the mediators and the U.S., adding that it is ready for the second phase of the agreement.
He emphasized the Movement's commitment to the establishment of a fully empowered Palestinian body to administer Gaza, and its complete withdrawal from the governmental scene.
Naim warned that the situation will not be sustainable if the continued escalation of Israeli military operations and the persistence of the catastrophic humanitarian situation remain unaddressed, adding that the circle of fire may expand, which is what Netanyahu aspires to.
Since a ceasefire took effect on Oct 10, 2025, Gaza's death toll has risen to 439 with 1,223 injuries, according to local health authorities on Friday. Rescue teams have recovered 688 bodies during that period. In the broader conflict, at least 71,409 Palestinians have been killed and 171,304 wounded since Israel's military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023.
Hamas ready for complete withdrawal from Gaza governmental scene: official
