China, Russia support Gaza ceasefire, hope for permanent peace, stability

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Thursday that Beijing welcomes the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal and hopes it can be "effectively implemented so a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza can be achieved".

China will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza and make "positive efforts" for post-war reconstruction, he added.

"We also sincerely hope that the relevant parties will take the Gaza ceasefire as an opportunity to promote the easing of local tensions. China is willing to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East," Guo said.  Russia voices hope that ceasefire can secure lasting stability in Gaza 

 

Russia's foreign ministry Thursday voiced hopes that the long-awaited agreement to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip will help secure lasting stability in Gaza.

 

Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova praised "the patient and persistent work of Qatari and Egyptian mediators" who helped broker the agreement, noting that "at the final stage, representatives of the new American administration also joined the negotiating marathon".

 

"We expect that the implementation of the agreement reached now will contribute to the sustainable stabilisation of the situation in Gaza and create conditions for the return of all internally displaced persons... and allow Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released as a result of the deal to join their families," Zakharova said at a briefing.

 

She specifically mentioned Russian citizen Alexander Trufanov, who was held in the Gaza Strip along other hostages.

 

"We believe that the conclusion of this agreement will contribute to the formation of the necessary conditions for establishing a process of a comprehensive political settlement of the Palestinian problem on a generally accepted international legal basis," Zakharova said.