China calls for halt to ‘dangerous' Gaza siege as Israel weighs full takeover
Israel to 'immediately halt' its actions in the Gaza Strip while urging greater unity among Arab countries over the Palestinian territory, amid reports that Israel's prime minister and top security officials are weighing a full occupation of Gaza.
A complete takeover, which reportedly would include areas where hostages might be held, would be a dramatic escalation of Israel's military operation, as a humanitarian crisis has deepened in recent weeks.
Local health authorities have reported people being killed or injured by Israeli gunfire while waiting for restricted aid deliveries as international experts have warned of famine. Israel has accused Hamas, which runs the Gazan government, of looting food and other items.
At a United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, urged Israel to 'immediately halt such dangerous actions', which he said Beijing was deeply concerned about.
'Fully implementing the two-state solution and achieving Palestinian independence is the only viable path to resolving the Palestinian issue and preventing similar hostage crises in the future,' Geng was quoted as saying by state news agency Xinhua.
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