China welcomes Gaza ceasefire, calls for return to peace talks

People walk past the Israeli Embassy in Beijing, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Israel's Embassy in China is protesting what it describes as "blatant anti-Semitism" on a programme run by the overseas channel of state broadcaster CCTV discussing the violence in Gaza. - AP

BEIJING (AFP): Beijing on Friday (May 21) welcomed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip, saying China hopes there will be a "cessation of violence" and a return to peace talks.

A ceasefire came into force early Friday after 11 days of deadly fighting that killed hundreds of Palestinians and 12 in Israel.