At least 40 people were killed and 60 others were injured in an Israeli air-strike on a tent camp at Al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis of the southern Gaza Strip before dawn on Tuesday.
The air-strike ripped a huge crater, set tents ablaze and buried Palestinian families alive under sand, according to Palestinian officials.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office put the number of fatalities from this air-strike at more than 40. It said that at least 60 others were wounded in the strikes and many remained missing.
"We were in the tent, when it was between 01:00 and 02:00. A warplane came and fired the first missile, leaving a huge explosion. The tent started shaking and debris was flying everywhere. We stayed where we were for about 15 to 30 minutes before the rescue team arrived. My wife and I hunched over to keep the tent from collapsing until after five or six more missiles were fired and rescue workers arrived. We were evacuated from the tent, only to find our neighbors all dead with their arms and heads blown off," said Firas, a homeless man. Al-Mawasi is a vast camp on sandy soil where the Israeli military has told hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to shelter since ordering them out of their homes.
"We fled Rafah and they (Israeli troops) told us to go to Al-Mawasi area, saying it was a safe place. They even stressed that we should not go anywhere else but Al-Mawasi because it was safe. So we came here. But we find it is not safe here. There is no safe place in Gaza, and we don't know where to go," said Mohammed Abu Labda, another homeless person.
Israel strikes Gaza tent camp, leaving at least 40 dead
Israel strikes Gaza tent camp, leaving at least 40 dead
The rising popularity of Guochao, also known as the trend of "China-chic", has contributed to a consumption boom and more diversified consumption scenarios ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
China-chic refers to fashion trends native to China, which incorporates unique native cultural elements into the latest trends.
For this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the brand-new event "The Empress's Mid-Autumn Feast" at the Mingtang Tiantang Scenic Area in the National Archaeological Site Park of Sui-Tang Luoyang City in central China's Henan Province has attracted many visitors.
Through interactive experiences such as the performance of court music and dance, and the Empress Wu Zetian bestowing incense, it recreated the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) palace, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the holiday.
The "Hanfu craze" in Luoyang City has led to an increase in the number of tourists visiting scenic spots and has extended the overall economic chain. This trend has boosted the popularity of services such as Hanfu rental, makeup and styling, and professional photography, making them widely popular.
In Luoyang's Luanchuan County, activities such as the "Fairy Palace Moon Viewing Party" at the peak of the Laojun Mountain, which stands over 2,000 meters above sea level, have driven a surge in business for the Hanfu stores at the mountain's summit, leading to a peak in consumer activity.
"This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is witnessing an increase of over 50 percent in Hanfu rentals and sales, as well as travel photography services, compared with the same period last year. With such beautiful scenery as a backdrop, the demand for traditional China-chic consumption remains strong," said Jin Ge, owner of a Hanfu store atop the Laojun Mountain.
Driven by the rise of China-chic, creative cultural products are continuously updated with new offerings.
At a glazed glass workshop in Zibo City, east China's Shandong, skilled workers were busy crafting creative glassworks featuring lively jade rabbits, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
As soon as the products hit the market, they quickly became popular both online and offline.
"While inheriting tradition, we've been exploring something new, developing creative products that better meet current market demands, thus winning the favor of a wide range of consumers," said Liu Jianhua, deputy general manager of Xiye Workshop.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions in China. It falls on September 17 this year.
China-chic boom fuels consumption for Mid-Autumn Festival
