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Ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Kejian on Friday urged the international community to take urgent action to make an immediate ceasefire in the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict an overriding priority, stressing that no excuse can justify the collective punishment of over two million people in the war-torn enclave.

Wang made the remarks in an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) after wrapping up his visits to four Middle East countries of Egypt, Palestine, Israel, and Qatar in mid-March.

Noting the Palestinian question has remained unresolved for over half a century, causing great sufferings to the Palestinian people, Wang said there are historical and practical reasons behind the outbreak of this round of the conflict, but in any case, no reason could justify an excuse to kill civilians or impose collective punishment of more than two million Gazans.

"The international community must act promptly to promote an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting as its overriding priority and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance as its pressing moral obligation. Resolutions 2712 and 2720 adopted by the United Nations Security Council must be honored and all detainees should be released. Any act that harms civilians should be stopped," said Wang.

Resolution 2712, adopted on Nov 15, 2023, calls for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip "for a sufficient number of days" to enable the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access; to facilitate the continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services throughout Gaza, including water, electricity, fuel, food, and medical supplies, as well as emergency repairs to essential infrastructure; and to enable urgent rescue and recovery efforts, including for missing children in damaged and destroyed buildings, and including the medical evacuation of sick or injured children and their caregivers.

Resolution 2720, adopted on Dec 22, 2023, demands parties to the conflict "allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and in this regard calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities."

The Israeli army killed 71 Palestinians and wounded 112 others in the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Friday.

This brings the total death toll in Gaza to 32,623 and the injuries to 75,092 since the latest round of the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in last October, according to the ministry.

SHOTLIST

FILE: Beijing, China - Date Unknown
1. Various of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, Chinese national flag;
2. Earth sculpture;

Beijing, China - March 29, 2024
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Wang Kejian, ambassador of Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
"The international community must act promptly to promote an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting as its overriding priority and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance as its pressing moral obligation. Resolutions 2712 and 2720 adopted by the United Nations Security Council must be honored and all detainees should be released. Any act that harms civilians should be stopped.";

FILE: Gaza Strip - Dec 25, 2023
4. Various of ruins after Israeli airstrike on al-Maghazi refugee camp, residents;

Gaza Strip - March 16, 2024
5. Various of damaged building smoldering, pedestrians on street;

FILE: Rafah City, Gaza Strip - Feb 26, 2024
6. Various of people, ambulances rushing to residential building hit by airstrike, rescuing injured people from debris;

Gaza Strip - March 15, 2024
7. Various of displaced residents waiting in lines to get food;
8. Various of tents, displaced residents;

Gaza Strip - March 16, 2024
9. Various of planes dropping humanitarian aid with parachute.

[RESTRICTIONS: No access Chinese mainland]