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.
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Gaza residents plead for ceasefire on 31st anniversary of Oslo Accord
Wang Xiuying, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) from Liaoning, on Tuesday highlighted the achievements in the northeastern Chinese province's desertification control efforts over the years.
In an interview with the press ahead of the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC on Tuesday, Wang, also an agronomist of the Agricultural Economic Management Station in Liaoning's Zhangwu County, shared her experiences in sand control in the Horqin sandy land, China's largest sandy area.
"We have explored and implemented a series of integrated management models, using trees, grasses, water projects and photovoltaic projects to stabilize the sand. So far, the Three-North Shelter Forest Program has advanced 13 kilometers into the core area of the Horqin sandy land. The average wind speed has decreased from 3.4 meters per second in the 1950s to 1.9 meters per second now. By doing so, we have effectively prevented the southward expansion of the Horqin sandy land, thus safeguarding the ecological security of Liaoning and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," said Wang.
In addition to the efforts in desertification control, Wang and her team have also developed new crop varieties with high yields, helping local farmers to achieve greater prosperity.
"With crop rotation and fallow models and photovoltaic projects, we have applied multiple technologies to deliver tangible benefits for local farmers with increased farmland yields. Our team has been responsible for the demonstration area of the country's first corn yield improvement project, where we successfully grew corn with high yields on sandy land, achieving a yield of over 2,000 jin per mu (about 15,000 kg per hectare) for two consecutive years. We have gradually realized the long-awaited dream of transforming sandy land into fertile farmland," she said.
Since being an NPC deputy in 2023, She has submitted proposals on sand control and ecological protection.
"After conducting thorough research, I submitted a proposal on implementing pilot photovoltaic projects for sand control and ecological restoration, which was subsequently adopted by the relevant authorities. We have planned a provincial-level demonstration area for systematic management along the southern edge of the Horqin sandy land, and two demonstration zones focused on comprehensive management: one for the integrated management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, and another for the treatment of sandy land along the Liuhe River. Through these efforts, we have gradually achieved the governance objectives of conserving water, combating desertification, preserving fertile land, and safeguarding the ecosystem," said Wang.
Lawmaker highlights achievements in Liaoning's anti-desertification drive
