BEIJING: China has expressed its “strong concerns” over the killing of scores of Palestinians during an aid delivery in northern Gaza.
“China is shocked by this incident and strongly condemns it,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
“We express our grief for the victims and our sympathies for the injured.”
“China urges the relevant parties, especially Israel, to the ceasefire and end the fighting, earnestly protect civilians’ safety, ensure that humanitarian aid can enter, and avoid an even more serious humanitarian disaster,” Mao said.
Meanwhile, more than 25,000 women and children have lost their lives in Israel’s offensive against Gaza since October 7, as reported by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
This stark figure raises significant moral and legal questions regarding the military tactics employed by Tel Aviv.
During a congressional hearing, Congressman Ro Khanna inquired about the number of Palestinian women and children killed by Israel, to which Austin responded, “It is over 25,000.”
Israel has come under increasing scrutiny for its targeting of residential areas, resulting in a high number of civilian casualties.
Despite criticism from rights organizations and aid agencies, Tel Aviv has defended its aggressive military strategy. The International Court of Justice is currently examining allegations of genocide against Israel.
When pressed further by Khanna, who referenced UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk’s statement that any transfer of weapons or ammunition to Israel violated international law, Austin was unable to provide an exact figure on the number of precision-guided munitions sent by the United States to Israel.
Khanna revealed, “It’s about 21,000 precision-guided munitions.”
