Over 4,700 people have died in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of Israeli strikes following Hamas' attack on October 7.
Approximately 1,800 of the casualties were children, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Israeli strikes have also resulted in around 16,000 injuries in Gaza.
The Gaza Strip has been under Israeli blockade since 2007 and is governed by Hamas.
Gaza's entries and exits are heavily controlled, with Israel imposing an air, land, and sea blockade.
The lack of development in Gaza is due to intense scrutiny on movement and years of bombardment.
The current war with Israel is the fifth in the last 15 years, leading to increased poverty levels.
The GDP per capita of the West Bank and Gaza in 2022 was $5,722, lower than India and slightly higher than Pakistan.
Israel's GDP per capita is seven times higher at $44,272.
The death toll in the current Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has reached record levels, with over 4,700 casualties so far.
The conflict is the deadliest between Hamas and Israel, surpassing the seven-week conflict in 2014 that killed about 2,250 Palestinians.
Despite the high death toll, fertility levels in Gaza in 2021 were among the highest, with 3.5 total births per woman.
The Gaza Strip has a population density of 6,019, making it one of the densest places in the world.
Gaza suffers from chronic unemployment, with a low labor force participation rate of 35% in the Gaza Strip and an unemployment rate of 45% in 2021.
The region has a shortage of hospital beds, with only 13 beds per 10,000 population, which may result in an increase in the death toll due to inadequate treatment for the injured.
The issue of early morning shows in Tamil Nadu and the workaround created by exhibitors and distributors to overcome the government's restrictions. It highlights the demand for these shows and the financial implications for the film industry.
The release of actor Joseph Vijay's film Leo has exposed a workaround created by exhibitors and distributors to overcome the Tamil Nadu government's restrictions on early morning shows.
The State government has denied permission for early morning shows since January 2023 due to law-and-order concerns.
However, the government recently allowed one extra show for Leo every day for six days starting October 19, with the first show at 9 a.m.
Seven Screen Studio approached the Madras High Court to seek permission for a special 4 a.m. show on the day of the film's release and to allow five shows a day from 7 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.
The exhibition and distribution business has changed dramatically in recent decades, with digital cinema enabling the distribution of Tamil films worldwide at a reasonable cost.
Distributors and exhibitors rely on the first few days of a film's release to make their money before possible negative reviews affect its success.
Early morning shows were initially started to allow students and young office-goers to watch the 'first day, first show' without taking a day off.
The 4 a.m. shows became a unique Tamil Nadu phenomenon, with fans celebrating the release of films featuring big stars like Rajinikanth.
Fans were demanding to watch the 'first day, first show' of movies, but the high ticket prices could not be justified.
Early morning shows were a way to resolve this market anomaly and charge higher prices from fans willing to pay a premium.
Distributors estimate that a film with a big star could make ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore per special show.
The absence of special shows led the producer of Leo to seek a higher share in the revenue from theatres.
The State government decided to regulate early morning shows due to reports of exorbitant ticket prices, unruly behavior of fans, and traffic issues.
The release of Vijay's Varisu and Ajith's Thunivu on the same day caused a situation that could have led to a State-wide law-and-order issue.
The government refused the request to allow a 4 a.m. show and to start regular shows at 7 a.m.
Home Secretary P. Amudha explained the government's decision on movie screening timings, taking into account the views of the Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA) and the Director General of Police (DGP).
The CRA expressed concerns about overcrowding and traffic congestion affecting public safety if movies were allowed to be screened before 9 a.m.
The DGP stated that if shows were permitted from 7 a.m., the police would have to provide security from 5 a.m.
Despite the government's insistence on shows being screened from 9 a.m., some theaters sold tickets for as high as ₹1,000 for the first show.
The future of special shows seems uncertain, but there is hope in the industry that the State government will agree to introduce flexible ticket pricing, meeting the demand for 'first shows' from fans and increasing tax receipts for the government.
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