Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun (right) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

China has consistently supported the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and is willing to continue providing assistance within its capacity to the agency, while seeking to promote the international community's increased assistance to Palestine through UNRWA, further improving the humanitarian situation in Palestine, said Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun on Sunday in the Amman, capital of Jordan.

Zhai made the remarks when meeting with the UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. The two exchanged views on the conflict.

Zhai said that the tense situation between Israel and Palestine continues to escalate, resulting in a large number of civilian casualties and a severe unfolding humanitarian crisis, which deeply concerns China. China expresses profound condolences to the victims of the conflict, including those from UN agencies. The immediate priority is to achieve an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, making every effort to protect civilians and avoid causing a more serious humanitarian disaster.

Lazzarini said that the UNRWA commends China for providing emergency humanitarian assistance to Gaza since the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict. He expressed that the current situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with a severe humanitarian crisis that is spilling over into neighboring countries. The international community should make joint efforts to promote an immediate ceasefire between the parties to the conflict, allowing more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. 

Lazzarini stated that UNRWA regards China as an important partner and appreciates China's long-term political support and financial assistance to the agency. The UNRWA is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to quickly alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

UN agencies warned on October 24 that civilians in the Gaza Strip were going through a catastrophic situation and called on all actors to provide sufficient humanitarian assistance to avert a further deterioration.

According to the CNN on Monday, the number of people killed on Gaza since October 7 has risen to 7,950, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah said. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of those killed are from vulnerable populations, including children, women and elderly people, according to the ministry's report. More than 20,000 people have been injured, the ministry noted.

On Saturday, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza, and China voted for and co-sponsored the resolution. 

Commenting on resolution, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference on Monday that since the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, China has all along called for a ceasefire and cessation of fighting, the protection of civilians, the opening of humanitarian relief corridors, the avoidance of greater humanitarian disasters. China has played an active and constructive role in promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue.

The resolution was overwhelmingly passed by the UN General Assembly, reflecting the strong international demand for a ceasefire and an end to the war, as well as the prevailing sentiment on the issue of war and nuclear proliferation, Wang said.

The US, which has failed to act as an impartial mediator, has stood on the opposite side of the rest of the world by pledging funds to Israel amid rising global unease and dissatisfaction over its one-sided support for the country. However, China's special envoy on Middle East affairs has been busy working with the international community to work on a ceasefire and buy more time for humanitarian assistance.

At the invitation of the Egyptian government, Zhai attended a summit attended by world leaders including the Palestinian President, Jordanian King and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the escalating of the conflict, which was held in Cairo earlier this month. 

On Thursday, Zhai said that to restart talks for peace between Palestine and Israel on the basis of the two-state solution is the only realistic way out to break the vicious cycle of the Palestine-Israel conflict, when meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Waleed Al-Khuraiji during his visit to Saudi Arabia. 

When asked whether Special Envoy of Chinese Government to the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun plans to attend other meetings related to the Israel-Palestine conflict in the region this week, Wang said that China firmly supports anything that is conducive to promoting dialogue, achieving ceasefire and restoring peace. China will do everything it can to help implement the two-state solution and promote a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue. We will continue to make unremitting efforts to this end together with the international community.

Also on Thursday, the China International Development Cooperation Agency announced it would provide another 15 million yuan ($2.05 million) in emergency humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip to help those affected by the conflict, given the deteriorating humanitarian situation. The Chinese government recently provided $1 million in cash assistance through the Palestinian National Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East.

Global Times