The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday reiterated that China will continue to push the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take action to help ease tensions in East Jerusalem as China serves as the rotating presidency of the UNSC in May.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China is highly concerned about the situation at the regular press. Hua said China held emergency consultations on Monday and co-drafted a press statement from the UNSC president, though a final consensus hasn't been reached.  

She said China has been stressing that the Security Council should reaffirm its commitment and firm support for a "two-state solution," promoting the de-escalation of the situation and fulfilling its duty of maintaining international peace and security.

China condemns the violence against citizens and calls for related parties to refrain from provocative actions, take actions that are conducive to easing tensions and push for returning to peace and stability in the region, Hua said.

Since Monday, hundreds of rockets have been fired at southern and central Israel. Meanwhile, Israel has carried out deadly airstrikes throughout the besieged Palestinian enclave.

According to official reports from both sides, at least 65 people in Gaza and seven in Israel have been killed by airstrikes and rocket attacks.

Early on Thursday, Gaza militants fired rockets at northern Israel, significantly expanding the rocket fire range of the four-day fighting between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli army said.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Smoke rises during an Israeli airstrike, amid a flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence, in Gaza City May 13, 2021. /Reuters)