Beijing, March 7 (RHC)-- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has sharply criticized Tel Aviv and Washington for the genocidal war on Gaza, calling it "a tragedy for humanity and a disgrace for civilization.”

At a news conference in Beijing, the veteran Chinese diplomat called Israel’s five month old aggression in Gaza a genocidal war and blasted the world’s apparent inability to stop the bloodshed.  

Israel sent its forces into the territory after Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2006, launched an assault on Israel on October 7th.

At least 30,717 Palestinians have been killed in the bombardments since amid a collapse in the health system and a growing risk of starvation.  Hamas released some of the captives during a ceasefire in November, but is thought to still be holding about 100 people.  Tel Aviv has thousands of Palestinians languishing in Israeli prisons.  

Urging the release of “all detainees,” Wang called for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks.  “The calamity in Gaza is a wakeup call for the world,” he said.

Talks brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to reach a six-week ceasefire ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.

Wang also reiterated China’s longstanding commitment to a two-state solution, saying it was the only way to achieve an end to the conflict.  He emphasized that China supported Palestine’s "full membership of the United Nations."

On relations with the United States, which recovered some equilibrium late last year after the countries’ two presidents met in San Francisco, Wang struck a note of optimism even as he lashed out at Washington for sanctions that he said had reached a “bewildering level of unfathomable absurdity.”

Noting the United States and China were due to mark 45 years of formal bilateral ties this year, Wang said China wanted relations that were “stable and consistent” and that Washington could work with Beijing on the basis of “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.”