Use of force 'not a way' to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict: China

China has upheld a positive relationship with Israel, while consistently advocating for the Palestinian cause and historically supporting a two-state resolution.

Israel's retaliatory bombing campaign has killed more than 4,700 Palestinians, mainly civilians. / Photo: AP
AP

Israel's retaliatory bombing campaign has killed more than 4,700 Palestinians, mainly civilians. / Photo: AP

China believes "force is not a way to resolve" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is once again calling for a ceasefire, its envoy for the Middle East pleaded in Egypt, the Foreign Ministry said.

Egypt on Saturday hosted a "summit for peace" where UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for swift "action to end this godawful nightmare" two weeks after the Israeli offensive's start in Gaza in response to Hamas' surprise attacks in Israel on October 7.

Beijing's envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, met Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit on the sidelines of the summit.

The Chinese diplomat called for an "immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting as quickly as possible", his ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

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"China believes that force is not a way to resolve the problem and that responding to violence with violence will only lead to a vicious circle of revenge," Zhai said according to the statement, which mentioned neither Israel nor Hamas.

Hamas fighters stormed into Israel from Gaza on October 7 and killed at least 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials.

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'Serious humanitarian crisis'

Israel's bombing campaign has killed more than 4,600 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the Gaza-based Palestinian health ministry.

China has so far maintained good relations with Israel, but it has supported the Palestinian cause for decades and traditionally backs a two-state solution.

China said on Thursday it was "deeply disappointed" by the United States' decision to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for a "humanitarian pause" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Washington justified its veto because the text did not mention Israel's "right to defend itself".

Chinese President Xi Jinping said it was "crucial to prevent the conflict from expanding or even losing control and causing a serious humanitarian crisis", as he met with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli in Beijing on Thursday.

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