Families flee as Israel intensifies bombing across Gaza City

The Israeli army is intensifying its operations on Gaza City from multiple directions. Northern and southern neighborhoods are under heavy bombardment, leaving residents with a harsh choice between staying under fire or fleeing into the unknown.

The intensity of the shelling has forced many families in Sheikh Radwan District of north Gaza City to pack their belongings and flee in search of safety.

The family of Sahar Mahdi decided to leave their house after a night of relentless bombardment.

"We were forced to leave. I didn't want to, but yesterday they detonated a robot in our street. The shrapnel hit the neighbor's daughter. We wouldn't have left if it weren't for the explosions and shelling all night long, but we couldn't sleep. Flares fell on us and burned down our house. We are leaving, but we don't know where to go," said Sahar.

Nevertheless, most of Gaza's residents have chosen to remain in the city. Yusuf Awad and his family left their home in Sheikh Radwan, but not the city itself.

"Yesterday a large stone fell on us because of the explosions. Look, all our windows shattered. What can we do? Should we wait for our children to die? Or die together? Or get injured and become burden on my family? What do they want from us?" said Yusuf.

The gradual military siege of the city's neighborhoods from the north and south, along with the use of tank fire on residential areas, points clearly to Israel's declared aim of capturing Gaza City and forcing out its residents. The Israeli army has ordered civilians to head south to Al-Mawasi or face their fate if they refuse.

Meanwhile, Israel has announced the end of the pauses it had granted to international organizations to secure the delivery of aid into Gaza.

"The quadcopter drones are dropping bombs on cars and areas crowded with people. This is my car. It was burned. The situation here is terrifying. We survived four times before, but this time we want to find safety," said Ziyada Abu Samra, a displaced Palestinian.

Families flee as Israel intensifies bombing across Gaza City

China and Canada should work together to promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said in Beijing on Friday.

He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while attending the Canada-China Trade and Investment Banquet together with the visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Speaking at the event, He said that under the strategic guidance of the important consensus reached by their leaders, China and Canada should adhere to the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, win-win cooperation, and mutual success, and jointly promote the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

China is steadfastly expanding high-standard opening up, continuously developing new quality productive forces, and is willing to work with countries around the world, including Canada, to create new prospects for cooperation, said He.

Carney noted at the banquet that China is Canada's second-largest trading partner and said Canada looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges with China, making full use of dialogue mechanisms in areas such as the economy and trade, and deepening cooperation in trade, agriculture, energy and other fields.

Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin a four-day official visit to China, marking the first trip to the country by a Canadian prime minister in eight years.

China, Canada should work together for stable, healthy, sustainable economic ties: Vice Premier