Two-state solution is path to lasting Middle East peace

The guns of Gaza have not fallen silent, yet a flicker of hope has emerged. On Saturday, Israel and Hamas resumed ceasefire talks through Qatari and United States mediators in Doha. Under a proposed new deal, Hamas has agreed to release more hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce and Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners, according to a senior Hamas official.

But the timing is a bitter irony. Just before the talks began, the Israeli military announced that it had escalated operations in Gaza, carrying out a wave of airstrikes and deploying additional ground forces. The intensified assault marks the start of Israel's "Gideon's Chariots" operation, amid the deadliest wave of strikes in Gaza in months. And the military operation is the reason, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, that Hamas has changed its position and agreed to return to the negotiation table.

It is a tragedy that talks inch forward while bombs keep falling, leaving civilians trapped between officials' promises and war's relentless cruelty. At least 64 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the Civil Defense in Gaza said.

What is the core obstacle for the two sides to end the 19-month war? A fundamental mismatch in demands. Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal and lasting truce; Israel refuses to end the war before destroying Hamas and recovering all the remaining hostages.

Thousands have died since Israel resumed its strikes in the Gaza Strip on March 18, following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire which lasted two months. At least 3,131 Palestinians have been killed and 8,632 others injured, bringing the overall death toll in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 to 53,272, mostly women and children, with a total of 120,673 people injured, according to health authorities in Gaza on Saturday.

The international outcry over Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe grew louder over the weekend, with European leaders issuing urgent calls for action. In a show of unity, seven European nations, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia and Spain, released a joint statement on Friday condemning the crisis. The coalition reaffirmed its unwavering support for Palestinian self-determination and the two-state solution, vowing to leverage all diplomatic channels at the United Nations while coordinating with regional partners to achieve lasting peace.

On Saturday, European Council President Antonio Costa took to social media to express his shock at the deteriorating situation, demanding an immediate end to the violence.

On the same day, Arab leaders at the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad, Iraq, called for an immediate end to Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip and to allow aid into the Palestinian territories without conditions. They also promised to contribute to the reconstruction of the territory once the war stops.

China's stance remains unwavering, that only a permanent ceasefire and the two-state solution can break the deadly cycle of violence. As China's deputy permanent representative to the UN said on Thursday, Israel's blockade and military operations have pushed Gaza into "unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe" since October 2023. Starvation, forced displacement and attacks on hospitals and schools violate international law, yet impunity persists.

The world must act. Temporary pauses in the fighting are not enough. Without a durable ceasefire, humanitarian aid remains a drop in the ocean. This is not just a regional crisis, it is a test of global conscience. China, alongside other peace-loving nations, will continue pushing for a just and lasting solution: an independent Palestine based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The path to peace is clear — but it requires the courage to choose dialogue over destruction.