BEIJING - China on May 7 urged Israel to “stop attacking Rafah”, after the Israeli army said it took “operational control” of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

“China... strongly calls on Israel to heed the overwhelming demands of the international community, stop attacking Rafah, and do everything it can to avoid a more serious humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian.

Israel carried out strikes on the Gazan city of Rafah overnight as it sought to put “pressure” on Hamas ahead of talks in Egypt on May 7 aimed at sealing a truce proposal endorsed by the militants.

After having vowed for weeks to push into the southern border town, Israel on May 6 called for Palestinians in eastern Rafah to leave for an “expanded humanitarian area” ahead of a ground incursion.

An AFP correspondent in the city reported heavy bombardment throughout the night, while the Kuwaiti hospital there said on May 7 in an updated toll that 11 people had been killed and dozens of others injured in Israeli strikes.

Israel’s army said on May 7 that ground troops were carrying out an operation in eastern Rafah.

That same day, Beijing said China “expresses grave concern over Israel’s planned launch of a ground military operation against Rafah”.

“War and violence cannot fundamentally solve the problem and cannot bring about true security,” Mr Lin said. AFP