China has condemned the killing of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and called once again for a ceasefire in the region.
“We are deeply concerned about the incident, resolutely reject the assassination and condemn it,” a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
He said that China is deeply concerned that the deadly attack on Haniyeh could lead to further instability in the region.
China has always advocated for the resolution of regional conflicts through negotiations, the spokesman continued: “Gaza should achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire as soon as possible to avoid further escalation.”
China presents itself as neutral in the Middle East conflict and says it is committed to ending the fighting. However, Beijing did not clearly condemn the bloody massacre carried out by Hamas and other groups on October 7 in Israel, which triggered the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Just last week, 14 Palestinian groups, including Hamas, were hosted in China. The delegations signed an agreement to strengthen Palestinian unity. The aim, it was said, is to form a joint government.