China condemns acts harming civilians, violating int’l law: envoy

China opposes and condemns acts that harm civilians and violate international humanitarian law, a special envoy of the Chinese government said on Thursday in Paris at an international humanitarian conference on aid to civilians in Gaza.

China is deeply saddened by the new round of Palestine-Israel conflict that has dragged on for over a month, killed a huge number of civilians and deteriorated the humanitarian situation, Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, said in a speech at the conference that gathered heads of state and government as well as officials from international and regional organizations.

He said that China supports all efforts to de-escalate the conflict and resume the peace process, and welcomes any initiative that is conducive to protecting civilians and easing the humanitarian crisis.

China has been actively promoting peace talks and firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, said Zhai, adding that China sincerely hopes to see peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel.

Since the outbreak of the new round of conflict, China has been conducting intensive communication with the relevant parties, and making every effort to help de-escalate the situation and protect civilians, Zhai said.

He said that China has also provided emergency humanitarian cash assistance to the civilians in Gaza through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the Palestinian National Authority, and has delivered food, medicine and other emergency humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

“We will continue to provide humanitarian aid in diverse forms and in accordance with the needs of the people in Gaza,” said Zhai.

He said China will continue to work with all relevant parties of the international community to make unremitting efforts to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, ease the humanitarian situation there and bring the Palestinian question back to the right track of the two-state solution.

(Cover: Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, arrives for the humanitarian conference about the Palestinian civilian population of Gaza at the 6th Paris Peace Forum at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, November 9, 2023. /CFP)