China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, stating that they have gone “beyond the scope of self-defense.” In remarks published on Sunday, Wang emphasized the need for Israel to “cease its collective punishment of the people of Gaza.” These comments were made during a call with his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Saturday, coinciding with Israel’s potential ground offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza.
Wang’s strong stance was reflected in his statement, “Israel’s actions have exceeded the boundaries of self-defense.” He urged Israel to heed the calls of the international community and the UN secretary-general to halt the collective punishment of Gaza’s residents, marking China’s most assertive position on the matter to date.
The situation in Gaza has raised concerns as over a million people in the northern part of this densely populated region have been ordered to evacuate ahead of the anticipated assault, which humanitarian organizations warn could trigger a catastrophe. Gaza, with its 2.3 million residents living in overcrowded conditions, has been under a land, air, and sea blockade since 2006.
Israel initiated a substantial retaliatory bombing campaign against Hamas after the group’s fighters breached the heavily fortified Gaza-Israel border and carried out deadly attacks, resulting in the loss of more than 1,300 lives. This campaign has claimed the lives of over 2,200 people in Gaza, primarily civilians on both sides.
Wang Yi stressed during the call with Prince Faisal that “all parties should refrain from escalating the situation and swiftly return to the negotiating table.”
In a separate conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Wang called upon Washington to “play a constructive and responsible role” in resolving the conflict and urged the prompt convening of an international peace meeting to facilitate a broad consensus.
China’s official statements on the conflict have not explicitly named Hamas in their condemnation of violence, which has drawn criticism from some Western officials who view these statements as insufficient.
In an effort to broker a ceasefire and promote peace talks in the Israel-Hamas conflict, China’s special envoy, Zhai Jun, is set to visit the Middle East in the coming week. Zhai’s mission is to coordinate with various parties to protect civilians, ease the situation, and facilitate peace talks.
Zhai has expressed concerns about the potential for the conflict to further escalate and spill over into the broader region. He met with the Arab League’s representatives in China on Friday, assuring them of China’s support in playing a significant role in addressing the Palestine issue and striving to rejuvenate the Middle East peace process.
