China is willing to work with Georgia to strengthen bilateral relations, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
Georgia on Saturday held its parliamentary elections under a fully proportional system for the first time. Almost 90 percent of voters cast their ballots via electronic devices installed at the polling station.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has won the parliamentary elections, the Central Election Commission said late Saturday.
While, the opposition rejected the election results, claiming that the parliamentary elections have been grossly rigged.
When asked to comment on Georgia's elections at a press conference held in Beijing, Lin said that China always respects the choice of the Georgian people.
"China has noted that Georgia's parliamentary elections were held smoothly. China always respects the choice of the Georgian people and sincerely hopes for stability and prosperity in Georgia. We are willing to work with Georgia to push forward bilateral relations," said Lin.
China ready to work with Georgia to strengthen bilateral ties: spokesman
Civil Defense teams in the Gaza Strip are struggling to carry out a major operation to recover the remains of hundreds of people still believed to be buried underneath, but a severe shortage of heavy equipment is making the task extremely difficult.
Israel acknowledged earlier this year that at least 70,000 people were killed during its two-year bombardment of Gaza, leaving the Palestinian enclave in ruins.
Sabra, one of Gaza City's hardest-hit neighborhoods, saw dozens of homes destroyed in Israeli airstrikes, burying many residents under the rubble.
The Abu Sharia family was among the worst affected, losing more than 200 relatives, many of whom remain trapped beneath the debris.
Ibrahim Abu Sharia lost his children, brothers, and many extended family members.
"All the families here carry the same wound. Life was already difficult, and now it has become even harder. For nearly three years we have come here every day remembering them. These recovery operations have renewed our pain. Even when remains are recovered, we cannot tell whose bones they are," he said.
Gaza Civil Defense crews face a daunting task amid the massive destruction, with a severe shortage of heavy machinery and specialized equipment.
"Every building here has victims beneath the rubble. This work requires heavy equipment, but unfortunately it is not available in Gaza. Right now, we are working with this single excavator to recover the victims and remove the debris," said Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Civil Defense in Gaza.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is supporting the operation with fuel and equipment, while Palestinian human rights groups estimate that more than 10,000 people remain missing beneath Gaza's rubble.
"We are supporting the civil defense in Gaza to continue their excavation operations to recover deceased Palestinians beneath the rubble. Thousands of families in Gaza have been in agony and uncertainty for the past two and a half years, waiting to be able to recover their loved ones, to mourn them and bury them," said Amani Al Naouq, an ICRC spokeswoman in Gaza.
According to the United Nations, more than 90 percent of Gaza's housing has been damaged or destroyed, and the Palestinian death toll has risen above 73,000.
Gaza struggles to recover remains buried under rubble with few tools
