Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged both Israel and the Gaza-ruling Hamas to stop the ongoing fighting with a five-point ceasefire proposal, which was welcomed by the international community.

Many countries believe China’s mediation is important in resolving the current situation in Gaza, and hope Beijing will play a bigger role.

Tariq El-sounoty, editor-in-chief of Egypt’s Al-ahram Evening News, said on Monday that China and Egypt have very similar opinions on immediate ceasefire, halting violence against civilians and restoring peace talks.

As an influential power and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said, China could play an important role in resolving the Palestine-Israel conflict.

… Oh Ei Sun, senior research fellow at the Nanyang Technology University of Singapore and former political secretary to the Malaysian prime minister, told Xinhua that the five-point proposal, which calls for both sides to completely cease fire to protect lives and maintain regional peace, is practical and reflects the reality of the situation.