BEIJING, July 31 -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Thursday said that any abuse of force which led to mass casualties of civilians was "unacceptable."

Qin Gang made the remarks when commenting on attacks on UN-run schools in the northern Gaza Strip.

China is shocked and strongly condemns such attacks, Qin said.

Parties concerned should realize an immediate ceasefire with no conditions attached, he added.

A school in northern Gaza run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees was attacked last Thursday, leaving a large number of people including women, children and UN staff injured or dead.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson on Wednesday called for an end to the fighting after a second UN school was hit by an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 16 people earlier in the day.