Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Commercial flights between China and Israel are still operating, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday, advising Chinese citizens to use commercial flights to return home as soon as possible. 

We will continue to carefully evaluate the security situations, closely monitor the opening of local air and land routes as well as security conditions, and spare no efforts facilitating Chinese nationals in need, Mao said. 

Currently, four Chinese nationals have been confirmed dead, two are missing and six were injured in the Palestine-Israel conflict, according to Mao. China expresses the deepest condolences to the victims and extends the sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured, said Mao.

Relevant Chinese diplomatic institutions are doing everything they can to coordinate efforts to save lives and treat the injured, and make proper arrangements for the deceased. They have been urging relevant parties to do everything needed for the search and rescue of missing Chinese and take every effective step to keep Chinese nationals and institutions safe, Mao noted.

China is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the Arab League and Arab countries and make efforts in helping get the Middle East peace process back on track, Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue said on October 13, when having a group meeting with diplomatic envoys of Arab countries in China and head of the representative office of the Arab League in China.

Zhai is scheduled to visit the Middle East this week. His visit aims to build consensus of the international community, urging relevant parties to cease fire and stop violence, cooling down the situation, creating necessary conditions for a political settlement, Mao said on Monday. 

On October 13, Zhai had a phone call with Minister of State of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Khalifa Shaheen Almarar on the Palestine-Israel situation.

Global Times