Gaza ceasefire must be precursor to peace, rather than fragile pause

The ink had barely dried on the latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas than Israeli forces began pounding Gaza, citing renewed militant attacks. The Israeli air strikes underscore a painful truth: relying solely on military means cannot bring lasting peace to the Middle East. Instead, such actions deepen the humanitarian crisis, sow enduring hatred and push the prospects for a political settlement further out of reach.

This new eruption of violence should serve as a wake-up call for the international community. After months of bombardment, Gaza is at breaking point. Hundreds of thousands remain displaced, hospitals are barely functioning, and access to food, water and medical supplies is gravely inadequate. Each new air strike adds to the immense civilian suffering, eroding the moral and political legitimacy of any party that claims to be acting in the name of "security".

As the Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly emphasized, what the region needs is not another fragile ceasefire but a genuine political process aimed at realizing the two-state solution, which is the only viable path to lasting peace. All parties concerned must exercise maximum restraint, uphold international law and work toward an immediate and comprehensive cessation of hostilities.

The Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state is not a privilege bestowed by others, nor a bargaining chip for political negotiations. It is their inherent and legitimate right. To delay or deny this right is to perpetuate injustice and ensure that the region remains trapped in a cycle of violence.

The world must also be wary of those who seek to turn peace into political capital. The end of a humanitarian catastrophe should never be a bargaining chip in any ceasefire talks but an imperative calling for concerted actions from all stakeholders. True peace cannot be achieved through showmanship or selective mediation that disregards the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people.

It is therefore legitimate for the international community to question whether the "peace process" repeatedly brokered by Washington genuinely serves the cause of peace or merely provides diplomatic cover for Israel to consolidate its strategic position in the region. Every ceasefire mediated by the United States over the past year has coincided with the expansion of Israel's military objectives, further marginalizing Palestinians and weakening prospects for a just resolution of the Palestinian question.

If this latest ceasefire once again collapses — as it already appears to be doing — the world must ask if the US-brokered truce is designed to end bloodshed, or to buy time for Israel to better fulfill its assigned role in the US' Middle East geopolitical calculations. The credibility of any peace effort lies in its ability to halt violence and pave the way for dialogue, not in its capacity to serve as a temporary pause before the next escalation.

Now that Hamas has begun handing over refugees and displaced civilians under the ceasefire terms, Israel must refrain from using this moment to pursue broader military goals under the pretext of "security operations". Otherwise, history may look back on the events since Oct 7, 2023, as merely the prelude to an even darker chapter in the region's future.

Peace in Gaza and beyond will not be achieved through bombs or blockades, but through justice, equality and genuine dialogue. The international community must increase its sense of urgency and press all parties to return to the negotiating table with sincerity. Only a comprehensive political settlement based on the two-state solution can bring an end to the suffering of the Palestinians and turn the fragile ceasefire into a foundation for lasting peace.

- Li Yang, China Daily