Israel masses troops along Gaza

Israel was preparing ground troops along the border with Gaza on Thursday and Hamas launched rocket barrages at southern Israel as the fiercest hostilities in years dragged on with no end in sight.

Sirens blared in Tel Aviv overnight and the sound of rockets being shot down by Israel's Iron Dome system filled the sky, sending thousands of Israelis to shelters.

By dawn on Thursday, Israel had renewed its airstrikes on the Palestinian coastal enclave, destroying a six-story residential building in the middle of Gaza City.

As world powers reiterate calls for calm, a wave of violence between Jewish Israelis and the country's Arab minority has continued to spread in several Israeli cities, with attacks on synagogues and Arab-Jewish fighting in the streets.

On Wednesday night, Israeli far-right groups took to the streets across the country, clashing with security forces and Arab Israelis.

Police said they had responded to violent incidents in multiple towns, including Lod, Acre and Haifa, confirming 374 arrests shortly past midnight.

At least 83 people have been killed in Gaza since violence escalated on Monday, according to Gaza's health ministry. Seven people have been killed in Israel, its military said.

Israel has prepared combat troops along the Gaza border and was in "various stages of preparing ground operations", a military spokesman said, a move that would recall similar incursions during Israel-Gaza wars in 2014 and 2008-09.

Amid fears the violence could spiral further out of control, Washington planned to send an envoy, Hady Amr, for talks with Israel and Palestinians. "My expectation and hope is this will be closing down sooner than later, but Israel has a right to defend itself," US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday after speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But he did not explain the reasons behind his optimism, while Netanyahu said Israel "has a right to defend itself".

On Wednesday, China called on relevant parties to immediately end all acts of violence and refrain from any actions that may lead to further escalation.

Zhang Jun, China's ambassador to the United Nations, made the statement after the UN Security Council held emergency consultations on the situation, the second such meeting the international organ convened this week after a conference on Monday. The meeting was called at the request of China, Tunisia and Norway.

Zhang chaired the meeting as president of the Security Council, as China holds the rotating council presidency for May. He elaborated on China's position in his national capacity.

On the same day, Israeli forces killed a senior Hamas commander and bombed several buildings, including high-rises and a bank, which Israel said was linked to the group's activities.

Hamas signaled defiance, with its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, saying:"The confrontation with the enemy is open-ended."

'Deeply concerned'

China is deeply concerned about the situation in Palestine, Zhang said. China strongly condemns violence against civilians and calls on all parties, especially Israel, to exercise restraint.

"China urges all parties to immediately end all acts of hostilities, abide by relevant UN resolutions and obligations under international law and refrain from taking actions that may lead to further escalation," Zhang said.

The ambassador stressed that the historical status quo of the holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem should be upheld and respected.

China supports the UN having a wider role in reducing tensions, the envoy said.

"Shouldering the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, the Security Council should speak with one voice, reaffirm the commitment to the two-state solution and deliver on its mission of maintaining international peace," he added.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking alongside United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, called for an urgent meeting of the Middle East Quartet－Russia, the United States, the UN and the European Union.

Tunisia, Norway and China have requested another emergency UN Security Council meeting be scheduled on Friday, Agence France-Presse reported.

The session would be public and would include participation by Israel and the Palestinians, diplomats said.

The Security Council has already held two closed-door videoconferences since Monday, with the United States－a close ally of Israel－opposing adoption of a joint declaration, which it said would not "help de-escalate" the situation.

Israel has refused to allow the Security Council to get involved in the conflict, a demand Washington has so far agreed to, diplomats told Agence France-Presse.

Agencies, Xinhua and Liu Yinmeng in Los Angeles contributed to this story.