More than 2 million people are “living in an open-air prison” in Gaza with “water, electricity, food, medication, and fuel” supplies cut off, China’s Ambassador Fu Cong has told the UN Security Council, Al Jazeera reports.

Gaza “has been under blockade for nine months” while the “most important Rafah crossing has been forced to close for two months because of Israeli military operations”, Fu said.

The Chinese ambassador pointedly criticised a temporary pier built as an alternative route for humanitarian deliveries, referring indirectly to the US, whose military built the pier, as “some country”, in an English translation provided by China’s UN mission.

“The huge investment in the floating dock by some country and the many twists and turns in its use once again show that land transport routes are the key to the expansion of humanitarian access at scale and their role is irreplaceable,” he said.