UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy on Thursday strongly condemned the Israeli attack in Qatar, calling on Israel to cease all military operations in Gaza.

Israel launched an attack in the Qatari capital of Doha on Tuesday, in flagrant violation of Qatar's territorial integrity, sovereignty and national security, and international law and the UN Charter, blatantly undermining efforts to achieve peace. China resolutely opposes and strongly condemns such an act, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

Qatar, an important mediator in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, has made great efforts to promote a ceasefire and restore peace. The international community highly appreciates its efforts, he told the Security Council.

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On Sunday, the United States put forward a new ceasefire proposal and claimed that Israel had agreed to it. However, just two days later, the Hamas delegation, which was discussing the ceasefire proposal, was attacked by Israel, Fu noted. "Such an act of bad faith, irresponsibility, and deliberate sabotage of the negotiations is indeed despicable. China is deeply concerned that the attack could lead to further escalation of tensions in the region."

This incident is closely related to the longstanding lopsided position of a certain major power concerning the Middle East question. China would like to advise this major power, in the interests of regional peace and stability, to take a fair and responsible stance and play a constructive role along with the international community in promoting a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities and in easing tensions in the region, he said.

Resorting to military means and the indiscriminate use of force is not the way out. An immediate ceasefire is the right way to save lives and bring the hostages home, Fu said. "China strongly calls on all parties concerned, and Israel in particular, to work harder to ease the fighting and resume negotiations rather than the opposite."

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Israel must immediately cease all military operations in Gaza, fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law as the occupying power, fully restore humanitarian access and support the relief operations of the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies, he said.

The Gaza conflict has dragged on for nearly two years, resulting in a humanitarian catastrophe that is appalling and unprecedented in nature. During this period, the world has witnessed, over and over again, the violation of international law and the undermining of the basic norms of international relations. The world cannot return to the law of the jungle and the Middle East cannot remain in a state of perpetual war, Fu added.

As the primary organ for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council has the responsibility to safeguard international order and the international rule of law and to promote regional peace and stability. The council is currently discussing a draft resolution on the humanitarian issue of Gaza. China supports the council in taking immediate action to end the fighting in Gaza and to ease the humanitarian catastrophe, and calls on the council members and the international community to make joint efforts to that end, he said.