Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord

China

Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord

2024-09-13 17:53 Last Updated At：21:37

Residents in war-torn Gaza made an impassioned plea for the restoration of peace on the 31st anniversary of the signing of the Oslo I Accord on Friday.

The Oslo I Accord was signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel on Sept. 13, 1993.

Though over three decades have passed, people in Gaza are still suffering amid an extremely difficult humanitarian crisis since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted last October. Although there are no signs of a solution at present, they still hope to reach a new agreement to achieve peace.

"I now support any agreement that can prevent bloodshed, even if it is unfair. War must be stopped immediately. Our children and young people are suffering; a large number of children have died, and hunger and poverty are spreading among us," said Ayad Assaf, a resident in Gaza.

"We hope to allow humanitarian aid to enter and to rebuild infrastructure, such as water supply and sewage systems. Many people are still living in tents, and we look forward to finding solutions so that they can move into decent, clean buildings and regain a normal life," said Wassim Thabet, another resident.

Some said despite Israel's failure to meet Oslo Accord promises and ongoing conflict, they still hope for a future peace agreement.

"Israel has not fulfilled any promises made in the Oslo Accords, and I am not very optimistic that any agreement can be reached in the future. The current situation between Palestine and Israel is very tense, marked by war and conflict. However, we still hope that an agreement can be reached to achieve peace, allowing us to enjoy the same peace that people in other countries experience," said Ayman Hamdan, another resident.

Analysts said that the Israeli military action in Gaza for more than 11 months and the Israeli parliament's adoption of a proposal against the establishment of an independent State of Palestine are both destructive to the Oslo Accords.

"Israel has committed multiple violations of the Oslo Accords. Although Netanyahu previously claimed to support the Oslo Accords, he has in fact been undermining it," said Mustafa Ibrahim, an analyst.

China holds ceremony to mark 93rd anniversary of Sept 18 Incident

2024-09-18 09:52 Last Updated At：11:07

A bell-ringing ceremony was held to mark the 93rd anniversary of the September 18 Incident in front of a monument at the September 18 Incident History Museum in Shenyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on Wednesday.

It was on this fateful day in 1931 when Japanese troops blew up a section of the railway near Shenyang under their control, and accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for subsequent aggression against China.

Representatives of people from all walks of life struck a bell 14 times, symbolizing the 14 years of fight against Japanese aggressors by the Chinese people. The bell was cast with the words "Never forget national humiliation".

At 09:18, 14 cities in Liaoning sounded air raid sirens for three minutes, while vehicles came to a halt and honked their horns, and citizens were standing in silent tribute to mark this dark chapter in history. Ships and trains also sounded their sirens.

For years, China has kept marking the September 18 Incident.

The incident sparked Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The 1931-1945 Japanese invasion caused more than 35 million casualties among Chinese troops and civilians, accounting for one third of the WWII casualties worldwide.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, China fought with two-thirds of Japan's army, making a major contribution to the allied victory in WWII.