Chinese envoy urges U.S. to push Israel to stop military operations in Gaza

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday urged the United States to take "sincere and responsible actions" to push Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza as soon as possible and to stop slaughtering civilians.

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, strongly condemned Israel's attack on the Al-Taba'een school in Gaza City over the weekend which killed more than 100 Palestinians, in remarks at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

He stressed that "civilians and the civilian infrastructure must not be the target of military operations," adding that "this is a red line under the international humanitarian law."

"Attacking schools where a large number of civilians are seeking shelter again and again is a heinous act," he said.

An immediate and durable ceasefire is what the people of Gaza yearn for, and it is the overwhelming consensus of the international community, he said.

Two months ago, when pushing for UN Security Council Resolution 2735, the United States claimed that Israel had accepted a ceasefire agreement. "But the reality is quite the opposite," Fu pointed out, urging Washington, as the largest supplier of weapons, to take "sincere and responsible actions."

At a time when the fallout of the Gaza conflict is spreading ever faster, and the situation in the Middle East is in great peril, as "irresponsible provocation and adventurism continue unabated," the ambassador warned. "We are deeply concerned," he said.

Fu emphasized that the key to avoiding the deterioration and escalation of the situation lies in achieving a comprehensive and durable ceasefire in Gaza without delay.

"China will work tirelessly to end the fighting in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe, implement the two-state solution, and achieve long-term peace, stability, and security in the Middle East," he said.