分类： world

China has commenced sea trials for its cutting-edge amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan Type 076, marking another significant milestone in its ambitious naval modernization program. The vessel, which departed from Shanghai’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard on Friday, represents a hybrid design, combining features of an aircraft carrier and traditional amphibious assault ships. It is capable of launching both aircraft and landing craft equipped with troops, enhancing its operational versatility. The Sichuan is approximately half the size of China’s latest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which was commissioned on November 7, with a displacement of around 40,000 tons. Both vessels were domestically designed and constructed, underscoring China’s growing self-reliance in advanced military technology. While specific technical details remain undisclosed, amphibious assault ships are generally faster than carriers, offering greater flexibility, though they are more vulnerable to attacks and carry fewer aircraft. China’s navy, already the largest in the world by ship count, continues to expand its capabilities under President Xi Jinping’s vision of achieving a fully modernized force by 2035 and a world-class military by mid-century. The Sichuan’s development is particularly significant in the context of potential military operations involving Taiwan, as amphibious assault ships would play a crucial role in any invasion scenario. Equipped with an advanced electromagnetic catapult system, similar to that on the Fujian, the Sichuan surpasses its U.S. counterparts, the America-class and Wasp-class ships, which lack such technology. The trials will test the vessel’s ability to launch fixed-wing aircraft, including drones and potentially crewed fighter jets, further solidifying China’s position as a formidable naval power.

A month into the Gaza ceasefire agreement, relative calm has been restored to the region. However, experts warn that the second phase of negotiations, which involves critical issues such as Hamas’ disarmament and Israeli withdrawal, faces significant challenges. A prolonged deadlock could reignite conflict, jeopardizing the fragile peace established since October 10 after over two years of intense fighting. The first phase of the ceasefire, focused on humanitarian aid and the exchange of hostages and prisoners, has shown tangible results. Hamas has released 20 living hostages and the remains of 24 others, while Israel has returned the bodies of approximately 300 Palestinians. Humanitarian aid has also improved, with over 37,000 metric tons of supplies transported into Gaza by the UN and its partners. Despite these achievements, the truce remains precarious, with both sides accusing each other of violations and sporadic skirmishes continuing. According to the Gaza health authorities, at least 245 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began. Analysts, including Niu Xinchun of the China-Arab Research Institute and Shu Meng of Shanghai International Studies University, highlight mutual suspicion, internal divisions, and fundamental disagreements on core issues as major obstacles to advancing negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to disarm Hamas and demilitarize Gaza, while Hamas views concessions as an existential threat. The US-proposed 20-point plan, which outlines the second phase of negotiations, has been criticized for failing to address Hamas’ demands and lacking a credible path toward a two-state solution. Experts argue that without addressing these underlying issues, the ceasefire’s future remains uncertain.

In a rare move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly criticized the escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. Speaking from Hamilton International Airport in Canada following a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, Rubio highlighted the strong condemnations issued by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and senior military officials regarding recent settler attacks. These attacks, which included arson and property destruction in Beit Lid and Deir Sharaf, also saw settlers targeting Israeli military and police forces sent to quell the violence. Several Palestinians were injured, and significant damage was inflicted on their land and property. Israeli President Herzog described the incidents as ‘shocking and serious,’ urging decisive action to eradicate such violence. Army Chief Eyal Zamir and Major General Avi Bluth also condemned the attacks, with Bluth labeling the settlers as an ‘anarchist fringe’ that hinders military counterterrorism efforts. Despite these official condemnations, settler violence has surged to near-daily occurrences since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel and the subsequent war on Gaza, which the United Nations has recognized as a genocide. The Israeli military has faced accusations of complicity in these attacks. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recorded 264 settler violence incidents in October alone—the highest monthly figure since records began in 2006. This year, around 1,500 settler attacks have been documented. While the Biden administration has imposed sanctions on some Israeli settlers and settlement-related entities, the Trump administration had lifted these sanctions in January. Rubio emphasized the US administration’s commitment to preventing West Bank violence from undermining the Gaza peace deal. The G7 ministers also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank, condemning extremist settler violence and urging all parties to refrain from actions that could jeopardize a two-state solution. Israeli settler violence persisted on Thursday, with settlers setting fire to a mosque in Deir Istiya and vandalizing walls with racist graffiti, while also using bulldozers to expand a new settlement outpost on Jabal al-Najma in Qaryut. Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.

In a troubling escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank, Israeli troops killed two Palestinians on Thursday, labeling them as suspected militants. Concurrently, Palestinian officials accused Israeli settlers of setting fire to a mosque in the region. The Israeli military stated that the two individuals were eliminated while allegedly planning a terror attack near the community of Karmei Zur, though no further details were provided. Palestinian authorities also remained silent on specifics. Meanwhile, the Palestinian foreign ministry in Ramallah condemned the arson attack on the Hajja Hamida mosque near Deir Istiya, describing it as a violation of religious sanctity and a manifestation of deep-seated racism among settlers. Photographs from the scene revealed charred copies of the Koran and smoke-damaged walls, with graffiti also defacing the mosque. This incident followed a pledge by Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir to curb settler violence, which he labeled as contradictory to Israeli values and a diversion from military missions. Despite his assurances, settler violence has surged, with October 2025 marking the worst month since records began in 2006, according to the UN. The ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of over 1,000 Palestinians and 43 Israelis in the West Bank since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023.

Mahmoud al-Arda, a 50-year-old Palestinian, has spent much of his life in Israeli prisons, enduring harsh conditions and solitary confinement. His journey began in 1992 when he was first arrested during the First Intifada at just 16 years old. Over the years, Arda became a symbol of resistance, rejecting the legitimacy of Israel’s occupation courts and viewing his escape attempts as acts of defiance. On September 6, 2021, he led a daring breakout from Gilboa Prison, tunneling out with five other inmates using spoons. Although recaptured within days, his story made international headlines. Arda was eventually released in October 2023 as part of a prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, but he was deported to Egypt, where he remains in exile. Despite his physical freedom, Arda describes exile as a “curse” and yearns to return to his homeland. His life in prison was marked by relentless abuse, including torture and medical neglect, yet he found solace in reading and collective resistance. Arda’s story highlights the broader struggles of Palestinian prisoners and the systemic abuses they face. He remains steadfast in his commitment to the Palestinian cause, vowing to continue resisting Israel’s occupation.