ISTANBUL

China on Monday pushed back calls to condemn Palestine and stressed the way out of conflict was the two-state solution.

“China always stands with justice and fairness. China is a friend of both Palestine and Israel and sincerely wishes the two sides can co-exist peacefully,” said Mao Ning, spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry.

She was responding to “some voices pressuring China to condemn Palestine,” Beijing-based daily Global Times reported.

“China condemns all violence and attacks on civilians, we believe the most urgent task now is to reach a cease-fire and restore peace; we also hope the international community will jointly help calm down the tension," Mao said in response to visiting US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer’s statement, calling on China to condemn the Hamas attacks.

Expressing “high concern” about the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict, Mao said: “China condemns any behavior that is harmful to civilians and opposes the escalation of the situation.”

“The way out of conflict is to resume peace talks, implement the two-state solution, and push for a political solution to the Palestine question,” Mao told reporters in Beijing.

“China is willing to work with the international community to find adequate solutions,” Mao added.

The Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets.

It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli forces in Gaza has risen to 493, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Monday amid ongoing fighting. It also said the number of injured people surged to 2,751.

The Interior Ministry in Gaza said the Israeli army has "intensified its aggression" on Gaza with hundreds of raids.

The Israeli army said it had struck over 500 targets in overnight raids on Gaza, which they claimed were targets belonging to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups.

At least 700 Israelis have been killed and over 2,300 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.

Mao said: “China believes dialogues and negotiations are the fundamental way out of conflicts.”

“China urges all parties to reach a cease-fire to avoid an escalation of the situation,” said Mao, in response to the US sending weapons and warships to Israel.

Mao also said Beijing was "informed about the reported Israeli-Chinese woman being kidnapped by Hamas."

"We oppose any attack and violence against civilians, but I am not aware of the details of the incident,” she added.