Gaza ceasefire talks continue with no end date in sight: Qatari FM

China

Gaza ceasefire talks continue with no end date in sight: Qatari FM

2024-12-25 09:13 Last Updated At：18:17

The Gaza ceasefire negotiations are continuing in Doha, the capital of Qatar, but there is no clear end in sight, Majed bin Mohammad Al Ansari, spokesman for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Tuesday at a regular press briefing.

The spokesman said that relevant parties have been discussing the ceasefire in Gaza and hostage exchanges at a technical level, but the exact timeline for reaching an agreement remains uncertain.

Al Ansari also expressed his disappointment over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip caused by the protracted negotiations, and once again urged relevant parties to work closely with mediators, including Qatar and Egypt, to reach a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible.

"We keep hitting rock bottom. And every time we think we've had rock bottom in the crisis in Gaza, we see other bottoms opening up. As a result, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is something that is going to be a shame on this generation in the international community. We have not been able to deal with it. We have not been able to solve it. And the crisis only continues and widens," said Al Ansari.

According to reports from Israeli media, the Israeli negotiating team that was in Qatar for ceasefire and hostage exchange talks returned to Israel on Tuesday evening for internal deliberations and discussions on negotiation details with senior Israeli officials, the Prime Minister's Office said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the negotiations had made some progress.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against an attack by the former on the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip had risen to 45,338, with 107,764 others injured, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Ice flowers" bloom on northwest China’s Bosten Lake

2024-12-25 17:28 Last Updated At：17:37

In recent days, plummeting temperatures have given rise to intricate patterns of frost resembling beautiful flowers on the frozen expanse of the Bosten Lake in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

These unique "ice flowers" exhibit a range of shapes, from fluffy tufts akin to cotton to ethereal forms reminiscent of butterfly wings, delicately adorning the icy landscape.

This phenomenon has become a picturesque winter attraction in the region, drawing wide attention to its rare beauty.

Experts attribute the formation of these captivating "ice flowers" on the Bosten Lake to the rapid temperature drop. The overcooled saturated water vapor meeting the pristine smooth ice surface has led to the gradual growth of these exquisite frost formations, creating a magical winter scene that captivates both locals and visitors alike.