China says welcomes Gaza ceasefire deal

China said Thursday that it welcomed a ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and the Hamas militant group, vowing "unremitting efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East".

"We also sincerely hope that relevant parties will take the ceasefire in Gaza as an opportunity to promote the easing of regional tensions," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular briefing.

On Wednesday, Qatar and the United States announced a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas.

The truce would take effect on Sunday and involve the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a broader peace deal would be finalised.

Beijing on Thursday said it hoped the "agreement can be effectively implemented to achieve a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza".

China would "continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza and make positive efforts to resume post-war reconstruction", Guo said.

"China will work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East," he added.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, said the deal was the "right move" to bring back hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war.

That attack, the deadliest in Israeli history, resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Israel's ensuing campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing 46,707 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the UN considers reliable. 

AFP