The Palestinian death toll in the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 40,265, the health authorities in the besieged Palestinian enclave said on Thursday.
A total of 93,144 people have been wounded in Gaza since the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, the health authorities said in a statement.
Over the past 24 hours, Israeli military operations in the enclave resulted in 42 deaths and 163 injuries, according to the statement.
There are still a number of victims trapped under the rubble and scattered on roads, as ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them, it said.
"Critical water wells and sanitation infrastructure have been repeatedly damaged throughout the war," the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said on social media platform X on Thursday.
"With overcrowding, lack of hygiene and unbearable heat, access to clean water continues to be a struggle in the Gaza Strip," it added.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 40,265: health ministry
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 40,265: health ministry
The first group of female pilot trainees from the carrier-based aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy are making their first public appearance at the ongoing 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, in the southern coast city of Zhuhai.
At the Navy's indoor exhibition hall, a dedicated zone has been set up for naval aviator recruitment. Han Meng and Wang Mengdi, the first female carrier-based aircraft pilot trainees of the PLA Navy, are on hand to explain the recruitment policies and assist visitors in experiencing flight simulators.
It marks the first time that Airshow China has brought together female pilots from Chinese army, navy and air forces.
"This is my first time attending Airshow China, and I'm very thrilled and proud to be here and to see the PLA Navy unveiling so many new equipment as well as cutting-edge aircraft. As a naval carrier-based pilot trainee, I hope to fly these fighter jets one day in the future to safeguard our nation's vast territorial waters," said Han.
The PLA Navy's first female pilot trainees were enrolled in 2023. All of them are recent graduates from military and civilian universities, born in the 2000s.
"Becoming a naval pilot means we must land on aircraft carriers. We live and work on the carrier, and therefore we are first sailors, then pilots, and finally combatants," said Wang.
The first group of female carrier-based pilot trainees had passed their solo flight tests on basic trainer aircraft by the end of April 2024. They are currently undergoing flight training exercises on carrier-based helicopters.
Airshow China kicked off on Tuesday in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, showcasing an impressive lineup of cutting-edge military hardware while offering a glimpse into the latest achievements in the modernization of the Chinese military. The event will last through Sunday.
PLA Navy's first group of female carrier aircraft pilot trainees debut at Airshow China
