NEW YORK: A Chinese UN envoy said on Tuesday that achieving a ceasefire in Gaza is currently the most critical priority.
“First, the realization of a ceasefire remains the overriding prerequisite. Only a ceasefire can prevent greater civilian casualties, including those of hostages. Only a ceasefire can prevent the regional conflict from spiraling out of control. And only a ceasefire can prevent the prospects of a political solution from being completely killed,” China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, told the Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
The international community, he said, has repeatedly and overwhelmingly called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. “Yet Israel continues its bombing and shelling. Schools, hospitals, mosques, Christian churches, and refugee camps have been repeatedly targeted in military operations.”
“There can be no justification for such attacks. It must be pointed out that causing more civilian casualties in Gaza will not hold the solution for rescuing the hostages, nor will that lead to greater security for any party,” the envoy said.
“We urge Israel to immediately reverse its course of action and stop its indiscriminate military attacks and collective punishment against the people of Gaza,” he said.
On the West Bank, Zhang said that every effort must be made to prevent the West Bank situation from getting out of control. –Agencies
