China’s PLA deployed six warships in Middle East amid Israel-Hamas war: Reports
- The development comes at a time when the US has sent USS Gerald R Ford, its most advanced carrier, along with a battle group to the sensitive West Asia region.
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed six warships in the Middle East as tensions escalate in the region due to the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, reports said.
The six warships, which include the Zibo, a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, the frigate Jingzhou and the integrated supply ship Qiandaohu, were part of the PLA's 44th naval escort task force that recently took part in a joint military exercise with Oman.
The warships left the Muscat shores on October 14 for an undisclosed destination, the Chinese state media reported.
The development comes at a time when the US has sent USS Gerald R Ford, its most advanced carrier, along with a battle group to the West Asia region. Washington is also assisting Israel with A-10 Warthog and F-15E attack planes, along with the latest munitions as the Benjamin Netanyahu-led regime continues its offensive on Gaza.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 19 reiterated Beijing's long-held view that supports the creation of a sovereign state of Palestine. This is "the fundamental way" out of the war, the state media reported him as saying.
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“The top priority now is a ceasefire as soon as possible, to avoid the conflict from expanding or even spiraling out of control and causing a serious humanitarian crisis,” Jinping said.
The war erupted on October 7, hours after fighters of Palestinian militant group Hamas raided locations in southern Israel, and fired hundreds of rockets. The Hamas attacks, according to the Israeli government figures, have claimed the lives of over 1,400 persons, including soldiers and civilians. The attack, claimed the Hamas leadership, was in retaliation to the “killing of civilians and worshippers” in Jerusalem and rest of West Bank in recent months, and the raids carried out by Israeli forces at Al-Aqsa mosque – the third-holiest site in Islam.
Israel has, since October 8, snapped the food, water and fuel supplies of the besieged Gaza Strip, which has a population of 2.2 million. The country has launched a spree of bombings over the past two weeks, which, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, has killed over 4,300 persons including more than 1,400 children.
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Business NewsNewsWorldChina’s PLA deployed six warships in Middle East amid Israel-Hamas war: Reports
First Published:22 Oct 2023, 03:27 PM IST
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