Desperate Palestinian refugees struggling to get food

Many Palestinians were struggling to get food as the hunger crisis intensifies in the Gaza Strip.

At a crowded meal distribution site, refugees lined up for hours, attempting to secure food for their families. They clutched empty containers high above their heads, and volunteers scrambled to serve portions to outstretched hands.

"I want to get food for my children so I can feed them. Making a living is hard, as you can see. The crossings are closed. There's nothing we can do. The situation is difficult. The economic situation we're in is hard. I come here to feed my children. I come early in the morning to stand in line until noon, so I can get cooked food for my children. I stay in line until 12 o'clock for the food. We come in the morning, waiting from 08:00 until 12 o'clock," said Abdul Karim Saidam, a refugee from the Nuseirat refugee camp.

He expressed the hope that the situation would improve, and the siege would end as soon as possible.

Gaza-based health authorities on Friday reported nine additional deaths from hunger and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of related fatalities to 122 since the start of the ongoing conflict in October 2023.

The health authorities warned that the humanitarian and health situation in the enclave - home to over two million people - would continue to deteriorate amid severe shortages of food and medical supplies due to a prolonged blockade.

Several United Nations (UN) agencies have also warned of the "dire" hunger crisis in Gaza.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, on Friday warned of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, calling for urgent measures to avert further hunger-related deaths.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said on social media on Thursday that "one in five children in Gaza City is malnourished. Most are weak, emaciated, at risk of dying."

China's outstanding aggregate social financing -- the total amount of financing to the real economy -- reached 442.12 trillion yuan (about 63.4 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of 2025, up 8.3 percent year on year, central bank data showed on Thursday.

The country's aggregate social financing stood at 35.6 trillion yuan (about 5.1 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2025, up by 3.34 trillion yuan (about 479 billion U.S. dollars) from the year 2024, said the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank.

According to the data, the M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, increased 8.5 percent year on year to 340.29 trillion yuan (about 48.8 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of December.

In addition, outstanding yuan loans stood at 271.91 trillion yuan (about 39 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of 2025, up 6.4 percent year on year.