Asian governments roundly condemn Israel's 'crimes' in Gaza Strip
Egyptian foreign minister pays visit to Turkey to discuss ways to end hostilities in Gaza Strip.
Egypt and Turkey are discussing measures to help end clashes between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers that have killed hundreds of people.
Egypt and Turkey both have tried to mediate between Israel and the Palestinians, and are urging the sides to show restraint.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit was meeting Monday with his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan.
Gheit on Sunday called on Hamas to renew its truce with Israel, while Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described Israel's air assaults on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip as a crime against humanity.
The cease-fire began unraveling last month and formally ended more than a week ago. Gaza militants have since stepped up rocket fire on Israel.
China said it is shocked by Israel's attack on Gaza and has called for an immediate halt to the military campaign that has killed over 300 people.
Vice Premier Li Keqiang said in a statement on the Foreign Ministry's Web site Monday that "the Mideast peace process must continue and that realistic measures to ease the tension in Gaza should be carried out."
The appeal comes as Israel widened its air offensive that began Saturday against Gaza's Hamas rulers.
China, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has traditionally supported the Palestinian cause, but it has recently built up relations with Israel. It has become a bigger customer of Israeli military technology.
China supports the efforts made by all parties, especially the Arab countries, to realize a comprehensive, just peace in the region, Li was quoted as saying Sunday during a trip to Kuwait by the official Xinhua News Agency.
Governments across Asia called for an immediate halt to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that have killed nearly 300 Palestinians, with some accusing the country of crimes against humanity.
Israel has vowed to press ahead with the campaign despite enraged protests across the Arab world and some Asian countries, saying the goal is to protect its citizens from Hamas rocket fire.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attacks and appealed for the cessation of hostilities, saying they violated the UN Charter, a Foreign Ministry statement said.
"Violence aggravates conflicts and never solves them," Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, expressing fears Israel's incursions would undermine attempts to negotiate a Middle East peace.
In Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, nearly 1,000 students waved Palestinian flags and chanted "Israel is the real terrorist" at the Hotel Indonesian traffic circle in downtown Jakarta.
"The Western countries are the concubines of America and the Jews," said rally coordinator Ferry Putra as the crowd chanted Free Palestine, destroy Israel.
The Indonesian government, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, pledged $1 million in cash and $200,000 in medical supplies for the victims of the bombings.
The vast majority of Muslims in Indonesia practice a moderate form of the faith. Although most back the creation of a Palestinian state, they do not support violence against Israel.
Government and opposition leaders of mainly Muslim Malaysia denounced the raids on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip as a "crime against humanity" with Deputy Foreign Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri saying they were "tantamount to genocide."
Malaysia, a staunch supporter of a Palestinian state that also does not have formal political ties with Israel, said "there is no excuse for the disproportionate, indiscriminate and excessive use of force in Gaza."
India urges an "immediate end to the use of force against Palestinian civilians," a Foreign Ministry statement said. India hopes that ongoing efforts within the region to restore peace would be supported.
South Korea said Monday it was "seriously concerned" about the worsening security condition in Gaza and asked both Israel and Hamas to "stop using military power and initiate dialogue."