CHINA has offered to host peace talks in a bid to stop Israel’s deadly attacks on Palestine, calling for an immediate ceasefire and for Tel Aviv to end its 15-year siege of Gaza “as soon as possible.”

Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the appeal at a virtual meeting of the UN security council on Sunday in which he urged the United States to stop obstructing efforts to reach agreement on a statement calling for an end to hostilities.

“We will continue to increase our efforts to urge for peace and promote talks, and fulfil our role as chair of the security council,” which China assumed at the beginning of the month, Mr Yi said.

“We reaffirm our invitation to peacemakers from Palestine and Israel to come to China to open up dialogue, and we welcome negotiators from both sides to engage in direct talks in China.”

Beijing reiterated its commitment to a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 border with the contested East Jerusalem as its capital that would coexist with the state of Israel.

China said that Israel must stop expelling Palestinians from their homes and called for the US to “fulfil its due responsibilities.”