The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 61,258, with 152,045 others injured, since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on Oct 7, 2023, Gaza's health authorities said in a statement on Thursday.
Over the past 24 hours alone, Israeli military operations have resulted in 100 deaths and 603 injuries in the enclave. Among the casualties, 51 were killed and 230 were wounded near humanitarian aid distribution sites, the health authorities said.
A statement released on the same day by the Gaza-based media office said only 92 trucks carrying aid supplies and commercial goods entered the territory on Wednesday, with most of them robbed and looted in chaos deliberately created by the Israeli authorities.
It pointed out the situation in Gaza is part of Israel's policy to create starvation and chaos in the enclave, which aims at dismantling Palestinian society and sabotaging the national resilience of Palestinians.
The statement also said infrastructure in Gaza has been almost completely destroyed due to continued Israeli military operations. At least 600 aid trucks should enter the territory every day to meet the minimum need of the enclave's 2.4 million residents, but aid supplies allowed in run at only 14 percent of the amount in need, the statement said.
The Israeli blockade of crossings into Gaza has stopped about 6,600 aid trucks from entering the enclave, while Israel has also been restricting the operation of humanitarian organizations, the statement added.
It called on the international community to take concrete actions to ensure the opening of crossings and continued inflows of aid supplies into Gaza. It also called for holding Israel accountable for its crimes against Palestinian civilians.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 61,258
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
