China condemns Haniyeh’s assassination

July 31 – China condemns Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination which took place in Tehran, Iran on Wednesday.

“We firmly oppose and condemn any assassination and violent act and are deeply concerned about the potential increase in regional instability due to this incident,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. “Gaza should achieve a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, as soon as possible.” he added.

“China has always advocated resolving regional disputes through negotiation and dialogue,” he further noted.

Haniyeh’s assassination occurred amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which is nearing the end of its 10th month. Hamas reported that Haniyeh, head of its political bureau, was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his residence in Tehran.

The attack, described by Hamas as a “treacherous Zionist raid,” happened shortly after Haniyeh attended the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president.

China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This month, China hosted rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in Beijing, where they signed an agreement to form a “national unity government” in post-war Gaza.

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