China said Tuesday it hoped the International Criminal Court would uphold an "objective" position after a prosecutor requested arrest warrants for leaders from Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Islamist movement Hamas.
The International Criminal Court's prosecutor Karim Khan on Monday said he had applied for arrest warrants for alleged war crimes of top Israeli and Hamas leaders over their conflict.
Asked on Tuesday about the decision, Beijing said there was "an overwhelming consensus in the international community to immediately stop the war in Gaza and put an end to the humanitarian crisis of the Palestinian people".
"It is hoped that the ICC will uphold its objective and impartial position and exercise its powers in accordance with the law," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
"The collective punishment of the Palestinian people should not be continued," he added.
"China has always stood on the side of justice and international law on the Palestinian issue," Wang said, adding Beijing supported "endeavours to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue".
Khan said in a statement that he was seeking warrants against Israeli leaders Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes including "wilful killing", "extermination and/or murder", and "starvation".
He said Israel had committed "crimes against humanity" during the war, started by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack, as part "of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population".
Khan also said the leaders of Hamas, including Qatar-based Ismail Haniyeh and Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar, "bear criminal responsibility" for actions committed during the October 7 attack.
Israel slammed as a "historical disgrace" the demand targeting Netanyahu and Gallant, while Hamas said it "strongly condemns" the move.
China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
President Xi Jinping has called for an "international peace conference" to resolve the fighting.