Palestinians fleeing the fighting in Gaza walk on Salaheddine road in the Zeitoun district of the southern part of the Gaza Strip on Nov 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Innocent people are being killed every day in Gaza, and major countries in the world need to do something to stop the humanitarian crisis there.

From the start of the conflict, China has called for a cease-fire, and urged concerted international efforts to secure one. It has also sent its Middle East envoy to do mediation work to that effect.

China has always insisted that negotiation is the only way to bring an end to the cycle of violence. It believes that the two-state solution is the most eligible way for a just settlement of the Palestinian question.

Palestinian people must be given the right to establish a nation of their own. To materialize the two-state solution requires efforts of the major countries and the main players in the Middle East. China is doing what it can in this regard.

Given the complicated relations among Arab and Islamic nations, China has tried hard in recent years to mediate among some Islamic countries that have long been at odds with each other. China believes that reconciliation among Arab and Islamic nations is a necessary step toward lasting peace in the Middle East and Central Asia.

The reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia has verified the worthiness of China's endeavors to push for lasting peace in the Middle East.

Its latest initiative is the hosting of the foreign ministers of some Arab and Islamic countries on Monday and Tuesday to discuss ways to try and at least realize a cease-fire in Gaza and then restore negotiations between Israel and Palestine for a just settlement of the Palestinian question.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in Beijing with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia and Palestine, the deputy prime minister of Jordan and the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The current violence in Gaza that has lasted for more than a month has led to a humanitarian crisis because of Israeli military forces' indiscriminate attacks on Palestinian facilities. With the conflict ongoing against Hamas, Israel is also fighting Hezbollah on its northern border and bombing Syrian targets too. The spillover of the conflict is already happening. There is a danger of the conflict igniting a war on a much larger scale in the Middle East.

By hosting talks among the representatives of these major Arab and Islamic countries and the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, China hopes to work out a feasible way to prevent an escalation of the conflict and promote greater efforts to push for a cease-fire. China also hopes that a road map will be worked out in the near future for the materialization of the two-state solution.

It is to be hoped that talks can produce positive outcomes.