Gaza establishes first shelter camp for displaced amid ongoing conflict

GAZA -- The following are the latest developments related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

The first shelter camp for displaced Palestinians was set up by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in the battered enclave on Thursday.

Established at the UNRWA industrial training station in the heart of Gaza, the shelter camp has become a temporary home for numerous families who have been forced to seek refuge as a result of the Israeli military campaign that has been going on since Oct 7.

Some displaced locals told Xinhua that they were informed by the UNRWA that they would receive shelters to live in soon.

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Indonesia found difficulties in evacuating its 10 citizens still trapped in the conflict-stricken zone in the Gaza Strip, the country's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Thursday.

The Indonesian government made evacuation efforts every day, said Marsudi during a virtual press conference. "However, because the situation is still very difficult, further evacuation cannot be carried out yet."

The ministry continues to maintain close communication with its citizens in Gaza as they stand by for any information regarding a possible escape route.

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A top Iranian military official has urged regional countries to stop the United States from transferring arms and equipment to Israel from its bases in the Middle East, the official news agency IRNA reported on Thursday.

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri made the remarks in a phone call with Qatar's Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, the IRNA reported, without disclosing the exact date of the phone call.

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Developments over the past few days in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have amply demonstrated that an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire must be the overriding priority, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Wednesday.

As long as the war continues, more violations of international humanitarian law are inevitable. Without a comprehensive ceasefire, any amount of humanitarian assistance will be a drop in the bucket, said Zhang at an emergency meeting of the Security Council on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Portuguese authorities have condemned an attack that destroyed a hospital in the Gaza Strip, and expressed their condolences for the hundreds of innocent victims.

On Wednesday, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa advocated for an "independent investigation so that there is no doubt about who fired the missile," as well as urging Israel to cease its attack on the enclave.