Photo: CCTV

China strongly condemns the Israeli force's attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only remaining comprehensive medical service institution in northern Gaza right before the new year, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), said on Friday, urging Israel to effectively abide by its international humanitarian law (IHL) obligations.

Fu made the remarks at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in the Middle East, Including the Palestinian Question, during which Fu said that as the new year begins, people all expect everything to take on a fresh look. Yet in Gaza, death continues to cast its shadow, and the bombings and attacks by Israel do not cease even for a moment. For the people in Gaza, they were not counting down to the happy celebration of the new year, but the next bombing that could happen anytime.

Right before the new year, a heinous tragedy took place in northern Gaza. The Israeli force launched an attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the only remaining comprehensive medical service institution in northern Gaza, forcibly detaining medical and care personnel, forcibly transferring innocent patients, causing the deaths of a large number of people, and plunging the hospital into a sea of fire. This act seriously violates international law, in particular international humanitarian law. It is appalling, and China strongly condemns this, Fu said.

The Chinese envoy emphasized that it is not the first time that Kamal Adwan Hospital has been attacked, nor is it the only hospital in Gaza that has been attacked. According to the OHCHR report, by June 2024, at least 27 hospitals and 12 medical institutions in Gaza have been subject to 136 attacks, which claimed the lives of over 500 medical personnel.

Protecting the safety of medical facilities in armed conflict is a bottom line under international humanitarian law. Without sufficient evidence proving that medical facilities have become hostile facilities, deliberately launching large-scale and indiscriminate attacks against medical institutions that cause casualties of innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law and could constitute war crimes, Fu said.

There is also analysis indicating that the lethal attacks launched by Israel against the medical institutions in Gaza to bring the medical system in Gaza to the brink of collapse are part of the systematic strategy to make Gaza uninhabitable, the Chinese envoy noted.

"China expresses its grave concerns over and strong opposition to this. We urge Israel to effectively abide by its IHL obligations, stop turning hospitals into battlefields, stop launching attacks on medical facilities, ensure the safety of medical institutions and personnel, and release all medical personnel detained," Fu said.

The Chinese envoy noted that the conflict in Gaza has already caused an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and civilian casualties. As the conflict enters its 15th month and comes to the beginning of 2025, ending the conflict and restoring peace remains the most pressing matter and a duty of which the fulfillment has been delayed by the Security Council for too long. 

"A certain country repeatedly claims that a ceasefire agreement will soon be reached, yet the reality is continued killing and death. I wish to stress that differences in negotiations should be bridged by political will and not be filled with innocent lives, winning the war does not necessarily mean securing peace, and resorting only to military strength does not guarantee lasting security," Fu said. 

China urges Israel to heed the strong calls of the international community and immediately stop all acts of military adventurism. China calls up Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian access for Gaza, stop implementing and revoke promptly the bills against UNRWA, and guarantee safety and facilitation for UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies to carry out their assistance, the Chinese envoy said.

China supports the Security Council in fulfilling its responsibility for maintaining international peace and security and in taking all necessary actions to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian disaster, and implement the two-State solution to respond to the expectations of the international community, Fu noted.