China condemns Haniyeh killings; Warns of deeper chaos in Middle East

BEIJING: Strongly condemning the assassination of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, China -- which brokered a unity deal between various Palestine groups last week -- on Wednesday warned that the killing could plunge the region into deeper chaos.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing here that Beijing strongly opposed the assassination of Haniyeh, whose Hamas group took part in the unity talks along with 14 Palestine factions in Beijing sponsored by China.

Haniyeh, Hamas' supreme leader, was killed in an airstrike in Tehran early Wednesday. He was in exile and was on Israel's hit list after the militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

“China has always advocated resolving regional disputes through negotiation and dialogue,” Lin said, adding that China was “deeply concerned” that the incident could lead to further turmoil in the region.

He also reiterated China’s call for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza to avoid further escalation of the conflict.

Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry which coordinated the dialogue among 14 rival factions, said the declaration was a first step to promote a “comprehensive, durable and sustainable ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip battered by Israeli bombing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who met the leaders’ factions, said the signing of the agreement was “an important, historic moment in the Palestinian cause.”

He had also said that under the deal the rival groups had agreed to set up an “interim national reconciliation government” to govern post-war Gaza.