After a five-month wait, Gaza residents were overcome with emotion as aid trucks carrying medical supplies and food arrived at a warehouse in Gaza City in the north of the war-torn enclave on Thursday.
Local resident Ghalia Nuwaij could not hide her emotion as she received aid, explaining that they had not received any assistance for nearly five months. She is a widow raising several orphans, having lost her husband and sons in the ongoing conflict.
"It's been nearly five months, and we haven't received any notice to come and collect aid. I'm a widow raising orphans. My husband was martyred, and I've lost two sons and a grandson. I'm caring for their orphaned children. There are five of us, me and the orphans. My other son is also a martyr, and he left behind four children," she said.
On the same day, Israel closed the crossings into northern Gaza again following the circulation of images of masked men appearing on aid trucks. Clan leaders in Gaza explained that masked men, with some holding sticks, were protecting the aid convoy.
Another resident, Ahmed Al-Aklouk, expressed gratitude to those who escorted the aid.
"Now (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu has blocked aid to the Gaza Strip under the pretext of security. And he wants to throw us here. There are many vulnerable people, including the elderly. There are also widows of martyrs who can't go anywhere. We support the idea of securing the aid. I support the entire security process. I call on our steadfast people to help ensure the success of securing the aid," he said.
Gaza residents overcome with emotion as aid arrives after five-month wait
Gaza residents overcome with emotion as aid arrives after five-month wait
From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.
At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.
Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.
"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.
"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.
Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.
According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.
Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.
Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.
At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.
"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.
At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.
"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.
Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction
