Wang Yi urges full cease-fire as truce between Israel-Hamas set to expire

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday emphasized the need for a comprehensive cease-fire in Palestine, called for renewed commitment to the two-state solution and urged the United Nations Security Council to take responsible and meaningful actions.

China strongly hopes that the temporary cease-fire is not a pause before a new round of fighting, but the beginning of a further comprehensive and lasting cease-fire, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

He made the remarks while chairing a high-level meeting of the Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli issue on Wednesday. The meeting was held under the initiative of China, which is the rotating president of the council for November.

"A comprehensive and enduring cease-fire should be the top priority, with all parties directing their efforts toward the common goal of ending the conflict in Gaza," Wang emphasized.

Wang called for more pragmatic and powerful actions to be taken to protect civilians. "Any violence and attacks against civilians are unacceptable, and any violation of international humanitarian law should be condemned," he said.

China reiterates its opposition to the collective punishment of the people of Gaza, the forced relocation of Palestinian civilians, and it emphasizes the importance of releasing all detained persons, said Wang.

Resolution 2712, the first resolution adopted by the Security Council after the current round of the conflict broke out, must be implemented, said Wang, adding that the implementation aims to remove obstacles hindering the entry of adequate humanitarian supplies and to establish additional relief channels to Gaza. He further said that the UN should assume a more significant role in supervising and coordinating humanitarian operations in Gaza.

In line with that commitment, the Chinese government will deliver a new round of emergency humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, said Wang.

Wang also called for revitalizing the political prospects of the two-state solution with firmer determination.

"While Israel has long established an independent state, addressing the rights of the Palestinian people to statehood, survival and return remains crucial and unresolved," said Wang. "The ongoing turmoil in the Palestinian-Israeli situation stems from this imbalance.

"Genuine and comprehensive implementation of the two-state solution is key to achieving peace in the Middle East, enabling the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel and fostering joint development for Arab and Jewish nations," said Wang.

China calls for increasing international and regional diplomatic efforts, reviving the political prospects of the two-state solution and restarting direct negotiations between Palestine and Israel, he said.

China calls for convening a more authoritative, inclusive and result-oriented international peace conference and supports Palestine's full membership in the UN, Wang said.

"We need to push the Security Council to take responsible and meaningful actions," The Security Council must reflect its responsibility on the major issues of war and peace, life and death, listen to the voices of the Arab and Islamic countries and the international community, and take further action in a timely manner, he said.

Wednesday's meeting came a day before a six-day cease-fire was set to expire on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Hamas released the sixth group of 16 Israeli hostages as part of a temporary cease-fire agreement. Another 30 Palestinian women and children are set to be released from Israeli prisons. That follows the release of 60 Israeli women and children by Hamas and 180 Palestinian prisoners by Israel under the agreement.

High-level representatives and foreign ministers from nearly 20 countries, including Brazil, Palestine, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey, Slovenia, and Malaysia, as well as all members of the Security Council, attended the meeting.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland briefed the meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli situation.

Wang also met with Slovenia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Faton on Wednesday. He held a collective meeting with the foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Indonesia.