China on Monday expressed "deep concern" over the renewed conflict in the Gaza Strip, APA reports citing Yeni Safak. "Under the current circumstances, the overarching goal of cease-fire and ending the war cannot be changed," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing. "The major principle of protecting civilians must not be abandoned," Wang said, as quoted by local daily Global Times. The death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surged to more than 15,500 since the start of the conflict. The number of wounded through the same period has risen to 41,316. The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200. Source: Azeri-Press News Agency