ISTANBUL

China on Thursday called for a “comprehensive and a permanent” ceasefire in Gaza after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas signed off on the first phase of a US-proposed Gaza deal.

“China hopes that a comprehensive and a permanent ceasefire in Gaza will be realized as soon as possible, the humanitarian crisis will be effectively eased, and tensions in the region will be defused,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

Guo said China “upholds the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine and promotes the implementation of the two-state solution.”

“We stand ready to work with international community to make our efforts towards a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to Palestinian questions and a peaceful and stable Middle East,” he added.

Announcing the deal, Trump said: "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan.”

"This means that all of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

All parties will be "treated fairly," he added.

The president described the moment as a “great day” for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, surrounding nations, and the US.

Trump thanked all the mediators, including Türkiye, "who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event happen."

"Blessed are the peacemakers," he said.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas have been underway in Egypt since Monday to discuss Trump’s plan to end the conflict.

The 20-point plan, announced on Sept. 29, includes the release of Israeli captives in Gaza, a ceasefire, and the disarmament of Hamas. The Palestinian group agreed to the plan in principle.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it uninhabitable.