The foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on Tuesday issued a joint statement expressing concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The ministers expressed "serious concerns about the renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza which remains catastrophic," according to the statement released by the British Foreign Office.
Civilians in Gaza are facing appalling conditions with heavy rainfall and temperatures dropping as winter draws in, the statement said, adding that they are also suffering from severe shortages of food and health facilities.
The ministers called on the Israeli government to ensure the "sustained and predictable" operation of international non-governmental organizations in Gaza to secure a humanitarian response, and to ensure that the United Nations and its partners can continue delivering aid in the region.
Israel was also urged to lift restrictions on dual-use imports and open border crossings to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid.
The Palestinian government recently urged the international community and UN agencies to take urgent humanitarian action to protect Gaza residents from harsh winter conditions and successive storms.
In a statement following its weekly meeting in Ramallah, the government called for the entry of mobile homes and other shelter supplies into the territory.
Ten countries calls for removal of restrictions on Gaza humanitarian aid
China's non-manufacturing sector saw its purchasing managers' index (PMI) return to expansionary territory in December, reflecting improved optimism among service providers and construction firms, official data showed Wednesday.
Non-manufacturing PMI came in at 50.2 in December, up 0.7 percentage points from the previous month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.
The sub-index for business activity in the service sector stood at 49.7 in December, edging up 0.2 percentage points from November, signaling a modest recovery in sector vitality.
By sector, industries including telecommunications and broadcasting, monetary and financial services, and capital market services all recorded readings above 60, indicating strong growth in business activity. Sectors including retail and catering remained in contraction territory.
The business expectation index for the service sector remained relatively high at 56.4 in December, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous month, pointing to growing confidence among service enterprises about future market prospects.
Meanwhile, the construction sector displayed a clear recovery. Its business activity index rose to 52.8 in December, up 3.2 percentage points from November, buoyed by factors such as warmer-than-usual temperatures in some southern regions and accelerated construction progress ahead of the New Year and Spring Festival holidays.
The business expectation index for construction stood at 57.4, remaining in high-expansion territory and reflecting continued optimism in the industry.
"This month, the business activity index for the service sector saw a slight rebound, while the business activity index for the construction sector also returned to the expansion range, indicating a noticeable recovery in business climate," said Huo Lihui, director of the Business Climate Survey Division of the NBS Service Survey Center.
Driven by favorable supply and demand, market expectations among enterprises continued to strengthen. The business activity expectations index reached 56.5 percent, up 0.3 percentage points from the previous month.
"The expectations index has risen for three consecutive months, maintaining a healthy level above 56 percent, reflecting a notable rebound in market confidence," said He Hui, vice chairman of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).
Separately, the NBS reported that China's manufacturing PMI stood at 50.1 in December, up 0.9 percentage points from November.
China's non-manufacturing PMI at 50.2 in December amid market optimism
