China asks Israel to lift siege on Gaza, renews push for independent Palestinian state

China on Wednesday urged Israel to lift its siege on Gaza and allow for humanitarian access, also reiterating its support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Beijing “opposes Israel escalating military operations in the region, relatively concerned over the humanitarian disaster of the people in Gaza,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference.

Saying that the “humanitarian situation in Gaza has never been so severe,” Guo added that the situation in Palestine lies “at the heart of the Middle East issue,” urging Israel to prevent a “humanitarian crisis on a larger scale.”

“We call on relevant parties, especially Israel, to immediately stop military operations in Gaza, lift the blockade and siege on Gaza, fully resume the access of humanitarian goods,” he said.

“The two-state solution is the fundamental way out of the Palestinian question. China firmly supports the Palestinian people in establishing an independent state of Palestine,” he added.

Guo emphasized that Beijing stands “ready to continue to work with the international community to end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible, ease the humanitarian crisis, implement the two-state solution and ultimately realize the comprehensive just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question through the two-state solution.”

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.