According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, China has removed Israel from its online maps amid the intensifying Israel-Hamas war. Top Chinese companies like Baidu and Alibaba no longer refer to Israel by name on their digital maps. While the demarcations between Israel and the Palestinian territories are shown, the country is not identified by name. This omission has caught the attention of Chinese internet users and has become a trending topic of discussion in the country. Both Alibaba and Baidu have not provided an official explanation for this change.
China has been supportive of a ceasefire since the beginning of the war on Gaza, in order to prevent further escalations and human suffering. China’s Middle East envoy, Zhai Jun, stated that China is willing to maintain communication and coordination with Egypt to push for a ceasefire and stop the violence as soon as possible. He also called on the international community to provide humanitarian support to the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has expanded ground operations in Gaza and ruled out any ceasefire, stating that it would amount to surrendering to Hamas. The United States, an ally of Israel, has also objected to a ceasefire.
During the ground operations in Gaza, Israeli forces have targeted Hamas operatives and their underground tunnels. The military reported that several Hamas operatives have been killed. Additionally, it was revealed that at least 230 hostages, many of whom are foreigners, are still being held captive in the Gaza Strip, serving as an important political currency for Hamas.
As of now, there has been no response from Israel regarding China’s removal of its name from online maps.
