{
  "id": 14935994,
  "title": "China’s Wang Yi urges Israel to end West Bank settlement expansion and ease Gaza crisis",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/chinas-wang-yi-urges-israel-to-end-west-bank-settlement-expansion-and",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-16T11:00:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371186/chinas-wang-yi-urges-israel-end-west-bank-settlement-expansion-and-ease-gaza-crisis"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to urge an end to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and a reduction in the Gaza crisis. Wang emphasized the need to fully open Gaza's access routes, stating that two million civilians should not remain on the brink of survival. The meeting, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, marked Beijing's highest-level engagement with Israel since October 2023, following the latest Israel-Gaza conflict. Since October 2023, more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 100,000 injured, with Gaza's two million residents still displaced and dealing with the highest proportion of child amputees globally. Despite a ceasefire in October, Israeli aid restrictions and attacks persist. Wang called for a halt to Israeli settlement expansion, referring to the illegal settlements built since 1967. He reiterated that a two-state solution is the only viable path forward, based on pre-1967 borders. Sino-Israeli relations have been tense since the war, with Beijing advocating for a two-state solution while Israel expresses disappointment that China did not explicitly condemn Hamas. Herzog acknowledged the strategic threats Israel faces, particularly from Iran and its proxies. Wang praised Israel as a constructive force in global and regional peace during the meeting, as reported by the Chinese government. Wang also held talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, pledging China's continued support for the Palestinian cause and calling for international backing for a two-state solution.",
  "summary": "Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Israel to halt and reverse West Bank settlement expansion and called for an immediate easing of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in a meeting with Israel’s president on Thursday. “The imperative priority is to fully open access routes into Gaza. Two million civilians must not be left to struggle on the brink of survival, nor can this humanitarian catastrophe…",
  "key_points": [
    "Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urges Israel to cease West Bank settlement expansion.",
    "Wang emphasizes fully opening Gaza access routes to ease the crisis.",
    "Meeting held in Baku, Azerbaijan, marks highest-level Chinese-Israeli engagement since October 2023."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "China’s Wang Yi urges Israel to end West Bank settlement expansion and ease Gaza crisis",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/chinas-wang-yi-urges-israel-to-end-west-bank-settlement-expansion-and-14941650",
        "published": "2026-10-16T11:00:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Hamas accuses Mladenov of siding with Israel over Gaza goods dispute",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/hamas-accuses-mladenov-of-siding-with-israel-over-gaza-goods-dispute",
        "published": "2026-10-16T14:06:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}