Violence escalates as Israeli fighter jets bomb West Bank, police clash with worshipers in Jerusalem

Clashes between Israel and Hamas have not subsided since the conflict began last October, and in recent days the violence has escalated in many places including Tulkarm in the northern West Bank and Jerusalem.

On Thursday, Israel expanded its military operations with an airstrike by an Israeli F-16 fighter jet, targeting a coffee shop in Tulkarm.

This marks the first time in two decades that Israel has used a warplane in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that 18 Palestinians, including children, were killed in the airstrike, marking the deadliest attack in the West Bank in years.

The Israeli military stated that the airstrike was targeting Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi, head of the Hamas network in Tulkarm in the West Bank.

"For the first time, F-16 warplanes are bombing civilians here. And here we are, as you see, an area crowded with people. This is a genocide. The occupation does not differentiate between civilian and armed people. We are no different from Gaza and Lebanon, and here we are now, sharing their suffering and woes," said Yousuf Ghorab, a Palestinian resident of Tulkarm.

"What we see in Lebanon and in Gaza is happening now to us in Tulkarm. The occupation cannot confront us face to face, so it uses airplanes to bomb civilians. Praise be to God, may God have mercy on the martyrs. We remain steadfast in place, and we say to the enemy that we will not retreat. There is no plan to retreat. We remain steadfast in place," said a resistance fighter.

On Friday, Israeli police attacked worshipers at Bab al-Asbat, also known as the Lions' Gate, one of the entrances to Al-Aqsa Mosque, preventing some from reaching the mosque.

The site is known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as their third holiest site.

Police beat the worshipers and fired tear gas, resulting in several injuries and the dispersal of people inside the mosque.

"This occupation seeks to implement the fascist government's program called the decisive program, which is the program of annexation, deportation, killing, and imprisonment. Therefore, this occupation carries out its crimes in a systematic manner, destroying infrastructure, destroying the Palestinian national economy, impoverishing the people, and destroying homes," said Helmi AlAraj, director of the Defending Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Center, an independent Palestinian non-governmental organization.

Violence escalates as Israeli fighter jets bomb West Bank, police clash with worshipers in Jerusalem

China has seen a robust tourism market during the week-long National Day holiday that started on October 1.

The National Day holiday, also known as "golden week," is usually one of the peak seasons on China's domestic tourism calendar.

Many places across China upgraded services at scenic spots and launched distinctive tourism projects to stimulate consumer activity.

In Shanghai, Visitors could admire the architectural landscape along the banks of the Huangpu River and capture memorable photographs at the Oriental Pearl Tower, all while enjoying stunning views of the city.

"Standing here, I still find it quite impressive," said a tourist.

During the first five days of the holiday, the Oriental Pearl Tower register a total of 135,000 visits, marking a 4 percent increase compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the Happy Valley scenic area in Shanghai's Sheshan National Tourist Resort received a total of 78,000 visitors, a 2.5 percent increase year on year. To manage the massive influx of visitors, the scenic areas not only extended their opening hours and equipment operation times but also added more performances.

Over 750,000 visitors visited Taining County in Sanming City of east China's Fujian Province in the first four days of the holiday, a 13.64 percent increase from the previous year.

Many tourists visited the Shangqingxi scenic area in Taining to ride bamboo rafts and experience the magnificent Danxia landform.

"We sat on the bamboo raft, enjoying the scenery along the way, which was very pleasant and relaxing," said Deng Xianpeng, another tourist.

The Jiulongtan scenic area in Taining introduced a “day tour and night tour” model, which proved popular among visitors. Tickets for the night tours were sold out for four consecutive days, and it was anticipated that the number of visitors during the seven-day holiday would exceed 50,000.

While enhancing services in scenic areas, local authorities in Taining also organized a variety of vibrant cultural activities to enrich visitors' experience.

Laoshan Mountain, a famous scenic area in Qingdao City of east China's Shandong Province, experienced its peak tourism season during the holiday.

Visitors can enjoy the stunning autumn scenery of the scenic area while sipping tea, and they also had the chance to get up close to steep peaks and uniquely shaped rocks, experiencing the joy of mountain climbing.

China sees robust tourism market during National Day holiday