BEIJING, Dec. 12 -- China strongly urged Israel to conduct a serious investigation into the death of Palestinian Minister of Settlement Ziad Abu Ein, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

China lamented the tragic death of the minister, spokesman Hong Lei told the ministry's daily press briefing.

Ziad Abu Ein died on Wednesday in a hospital after being assaulted by Israeli soldiers during a mass rally in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Hong urged Israel and Palestine to maintain restraint and to take tangible measures to avoid an escalation of the situation, thus, creating suitable conditions to restart peace talks.