The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 37,925, health authorities in the Palestinian enclave said in a statement on Tuesday.
Additionally, more than 87,100 people had been wounded in the besieged strip since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out in October 2023, health authorities said.
The Israeli army killed 25 people and wounded 81 others in the past 24 hours, according to the statement.
Also on Tuesday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement announcing that Israeli forces conducted a new round of airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip's Khan Yunis from Monday evening to the early hours of Tuesday.
Local Palestinian media reported that Israeli forces launched airstrikes in multiple locations in the Gaza Strip on that day, resulting in casualties and injuries to several people.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the IDF, their airstrikes targeting Khan Yunis included Hamas militant weapons depots, residential areas, and other infrastructure facilities.
At least 12 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting an apartment in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said on Tuesday.
As Israeli forces continue to advance its ground operation on the Gaza Strip, the divisions between the Israeli government and the military are increasingly becoming public.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement refuting claims by Israeli military officers and reaffirming that “the war will end once Israel achieves all of its objectives”.
On the same day, Netanyahu issued a strong condemnation in a statement regarding a previous article in The New York Times. The article quoted several anonymous Israeli military officers saying that Israel was willing to reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas without achieving all objectives, stating that ceasefire was the best way to secure the release of detained individuals.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 37,925: health authorities
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 37,925: health authorities
The head of the China division of German auto giant BMW says the group is looking to expand on its footprint in the country and says now is the right time to invest in China.
Sean Green, president and CEO of the BMW Group Region China, said the multinational auto manufacturer is continuing to increase their investment in China, which demonstrates their strong confidence in the Chinese market.
Green noted the BMW Group has established its biggest production base and the largest research and development system outside of Germany in China, and has a strong presence in several cities.
"Our research development department is the biggest R and D department outside of our German head office. So research [and] development is really one of the strengths we have here with four different sites, in Shenyang, in Shanghai, Beijing, and most recently in Nanjing. So [we have] an extremely strong footprint here in China for success, not only here in China to give to our consumers the best products we can, but also to influence the worldwide offer, because what we can develop here in China can be successful everywhere in the world," said Green during a recent interview with China Central Television (CCTV).
He also highlighted that advanced technologies, such as 5G, have been applied in the production line of BMW factories in China which is helping the company boost its operations.
"5G was the first production facility we had anywhere in the world. By having the 5G applications allows you this perfect seamless connectivity within the building," Green said.
Last year, work began on the BMW Group's new battery production plant in the northeast city of Shenyang City, which features a total investment of 10 billion yuan (about 1.37 billion U.S. dollars) and is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs after its completion.
Since 2010, around 100 billion yuan has already been invested in the BMW Shenyang Production Base and its projects, with the production capacity rising to 830,000 units per year.
In the face of doubts and questions towards the Chinese economy, Green insisted that BMW still has faith in China and will continue its efforts to expand its business, which may inspire others to follow suit. He also noted thay BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., the the group's joint venture in China which was established in 2003, now has over 400 local suppliers in the country.
"Investing [in China] right now as we did in Europe and the U.S. during the financial crisis was the right time to invest, and we're very lucky that we have a very strong supply chain in and around not only Shenyang, but Liaoning, and also the rest of China with about 450 local suppliers. So when we invest, and we show the confidence, we actually lead the way for others as well," Green said.
BMW China CEO affirms expansion plans, calls China investment timing ideal
