Germany’s Scholz, China’s Xi discuss Middle East conflict in video call

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a video call with China's leader Xi Jinping and discussed the latest developments in the Middle East, his spokesman said on Friday.

"Chancellor Scholz and President Xi discussed bilateral relations and economic cooperation," Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.

They also discussed Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the current situation in the region, the spokesman said, without giving any further details about their exchange on the ongoing conflict.

China, which is chairing the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, has repeatedly called for a cease-fire and urged diplomacy to prevent the conflict from spilling over.

However, Germany so far insisted that Israel has a right to self-defense, and refrained from criticizing the massive bombardments in Gaza that have claimed over 9,000 lives.

UN experts warned on Thursday that "time is running out to prevent genocide and humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza, as Israel's military campaign has killed at least 9,227 Palestinians, including 3,826 children.

Over 23,000 people have been injured in Israeli attacks, while an estimated 1.4 million more have been displaced.

According to Israeli authorities, more than 1,500 Israelis have been killed and over 5,400 others injured in Hamas attacks, while over 240 people were taken as hostages to Gaza.