Tents for displaced Palestinians are seen at a temporary shelter in Gaza City, on Aug. 4, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

China expressed grave concern about Israel's security cabinet approving a plan for the military to "take control" of Gaza City, urging Israel to stop the dangerous move at once. Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an integral part of the Palestinian territory, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a Friday press briefing.

Guo made the remarks in response to an inquiry regarding reports that Israel's security cabinet approved a plan proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the military to "take control" of Gaza City.

The right way to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and realize the release of people being held is an immediate ceasefire, and the key to fully settling the conflict in Gaza is also a ceasefire. This is the only means to pave the way for ending the conflict and uphold security in the region, Guo said.

China stands ready to work with the rest of the international community to stop the fighting in Gaza as early as possible, ease the humanitarian disaster, implement the two-state solution and ultimately realize the full, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question, the spokesperson said.

Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take over Gaza City, the Prime Minister's Office said Friday, marking another escalation of Israel's offensive in Gaza, according to the Guardian.

A post on X from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said the cabinet, by majority vote, adopted five principles for ending the war: disarming Hamas; returning all hostages - both the living and the deceased; demilitarization of the Gaza Strip; Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip; and establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

The decision drew strong criticism. UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Türk said that the Israeli government's plan for a complete military takeover of the occupied Gaza Strip must be immediately halted, according to the Guardian. "It runs contrary to the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel must bring its occupation to an end as soon as possible, to the realisation of the agreed two-state solution and to the right of Palestinians to self-determination," Türk warned in a statement.

UK prime minister Keir Starmer on Friday said Israel's decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong and urged the Israeli government to reconsider. "This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed," the Guardian quoted Starmer as saying.

Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday that such a military occupation would seriously violate international law, obstruct the two-state solution, and worsen Gaza's humanitarian crisis. 

Liu said Israel's decision reflects both domestic political pressure and an intent to undermine Palestinian statehood, noting that the proposed alternative civilian administration lacks concrete arrangements and could lead to de facto partition of Palestine, settlement expansion and "new colonialist" practices.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, called the plan "a very bad step in an absolutely wrong direction," reiterating Moscow's calls for a ceasefire since the war began, according to CNN.

On the same day, China urged 'lasting ceasefire' in Gaza and ready to 'play a bigger role' on Palestinian question. When asked about Indonesian president's instruction to evacuate and treat around 2,000 wounded Gaza residents on one of Indonesia's islands and whether China would consider cooperating in a joint humanitarian effort, Guo said, "We are not aware of the specifics you mentioned. The fighting in Gaza has caused a grave humanitarian disaster. The pressing priority is to realize a lasting ceasefire in Gaza at once and ensuring the access of humanitarian aid."

China stands ready to make active effort together with the international community to send a stronger message and play a bigger role on the Palestinian question, and promote the full, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date, the spokesperson added.