China's C919 jetliner on Shanghai-Hong Kong route welcomes passengers

The first regular flight of China's homegrown C919 jetliner flying from Shanghai to Hong Kong on Wednesday welcomed its passengers who were excited to witness the airliner's first-ever regional commercial operation.

The jet carrying 157 passengers took off from the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 08:21 and landed at the Hong Kong International Airport at 10:44, marking the inauguration of this type of aircraft's regular services on this route.

Many of the boarding passengers said they booked the flight to witness this special moment.

"I've come together with my son. We've looked forward to this moment for a long time," said a passenger.

"Happened to get the chance this time and managed to snap the ticket ups. Just to take it for a unique and significant new year and a record of this year. Also as a historic evidence, which sounds nice. Also as a historic evidence, which sounds nice," said her son.

To ensure that C919 passengers will have comfortable and smooth travel experience, Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection opened special channels to help them check in more efficiently.

"We've opened special channels in the border inspection hall of the Hongqiao airport for passengers boarding C919 on the day," said Dong Jianguo, director of the border inspection division of Hongqiao Border Inspection Station under Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection.

China Eastern Airlines, operator of the flight route, said the company hopes the trip will serve as tangible proof of the development of China's civil aviation technology.

"It is the most significant and newest one among the new flight routes we inaugurated to major cities around the country operated by C919 aircraft. I hope passengers flying on this route could fully feel for and experience the development and progress of our country's civil aviation science and technology," said Shang Feng, general manager of C919 Flight Division of Shanghai Flight Department of China Eastern Airlines.

China's C919 jetliner on Shanghai-Hong Kong route welcomes passengers

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza Strip has risen to 50,423, with 114,638 injured, after nearly 18 months of Israeli military operations, Gaza health authorities said Wednesday.

Local medical sources noted that since the Israeli army resumed its operations on March 18, the number of fatalities has reached 1,066, while 2,597 have been injured.

In the past 24 hours alone, hospitals in Gaza received 24 fatalities and 55 injured. Many bodies remain trapped beneath the rubble, with ambulances and civil defense personnel struggling to reach them.

According to a report by the Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that it had carried out strikes on over 50 sites belonging to Hamas and other militant groups, ahead of a major ground push into the southern Gaza Strip. During the day, dozens more strikes were carried out across Gaza.

In addition, the IDF issued a statement on Wednesday night that it had intercepted two rockets launched from northern Gaza. Air raid sirens were activated in areas near the Gaza Strip, and local media said that there are no reports of injuries or damage in the attack. The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to Palestinian media reports on Wednesday, the Israeli air force targeted a medical facility operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. The head of Gaza-based health authorities reported on the same day that 19 people were killed in the attack.

The Israeli military stated on Wednesday that it had struck a Hamas command center in Jabalia.

On Wednesday night, Al Jazeera quoted relevant sources as saying that Hamas officials had received Israel's response to the ceasefire proposal, which had been put forward by mediators and accepted by Hamas. Based on this response, they concluded that Israel had rejected the proposal.

Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 50,423