Xi pledges more Gaza aid at summit with Arab leaders

Beijing, May 30

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated calls for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and promised more humanitarian aid for people in Gaza as he opened a summit with leaders of Arab states on Thursday in Beijing.

In a speech opening the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, Xi said, “War should not continue indefinitely.” He restated China’s backing of a two-state solution and pledged $69 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza. He also promised $3 million to a UN agency that provides aid to refugees of the war.

Meanwhile, Hamas said it had told mediators it would not take part in more negotiations, but was ready for a “complete agreement”, including an exchange of hostages, if Israel stopped the war. — Agencies