China condemns targeting of journalists by Israel, mourns killing of Palestinian reporters

ISTANBUL

China on Monday condemned Israel for the violent targeting of journalists, noting that the country is mourning the killing of Palestinian reporters.

Beijing's comments followed an Israeli airstrike that killed five Al Jazeera journalists, including Anas al-Sharif and Mohamed Qraiqea, who were staying in a tent near al-Shifa Hospital.

“We mourn for the correspondents who tragically lost their lives in the conflict,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing.

“China opposes all moves that harm civilians and condemns violent moves targeting correspondents,” Lin added, according to an official transcript shared by the Foreign Ministry.

He added that Beijing “urges Israel to stop its military operation in Gaza at once, fully resume access to humanitarian supplies, avoid humanitarian crisis of a greater scale,” while calling for de-escalation in the enclave.

The Gaza Media Office announced in a statement that the number of journalists killed since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to 237, following the killing of al-Sharif and Qraiqea, along with three other reporters.

Israel is facing mounting condemnation for its genocidal war on Gaza, where it has killed nearly 61,500 victims since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.