China's permanent representative to the United Nations said on Tuesday that the Middle East is at a "critical stage of transition from war to peace", as fresh violence in Gaza and Lebanon and a widening energy shock underscored the fragility of the situation.

Addressing a high-level UN Security Council debate on Tuesday, Ambassador Fu Cong said the situation in the region has "escalated dramatically with widespread consequences, gravely disrupting regional stability and affecting the global economy and energy security".

His remarks came as violence continued on multiple fronts. Israeli strikes in Gaza killed five people on Tuesday, including a child, Reuters reported.

READ MORE: Gaza holds first municipal elections in 20 yrs, limited to Deir al-Balah

Meanwhile, the broader regional conflict is increasingly affecting global markets.

The World Bank warned on Tuesday that disruptions linked to the Middle East war could fuel a 24 percent surge in energy prices this year.

Fu urged all parties to seize this window of peace, exercise utmost restraint, demonstrate maximum sincerity, and remain steadfast in the direction of a political settlement to prevent any retrogression in the momentum of ceasefire and negotiations.

The Palestinian question remains central and "must not be marginalized under any circumstances", he said, adding that the conflict persists because "the two-state solution is only half-realized".

Despite a reduction in large-scale fighting, he said the Palestinian people are still "forced to keep company with death and suffering", while the foundation of the two-state solution risks being "completely hollowed out".

Developments on the ground appear to reinforce that concern. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report on April 23 that conditions in Gaza remain dire, with continuing strikes and restricted access hampering relief efforts.

Turning to Gaza, Fu said the enclave is not a permanent battlefield, and the suffering of its civilians must cease immediately.

"The most pressing task remains cementing the ceasefire and scaling up aid," he said, describing conditions marked by "scarcity of essential supplies … and a medical system teetering on the precipice of total collapse".

ALSO READ: 10 Palestinians, including 7 policemen, killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza

China urges Israel to "fully abide by the ceasefire agreement to ensure a comprehensive and durable ceasefire throughout Gaza" and to dismantle all barriers to humanitarian access, he added.

The ambassador also criticized Israeli settlement expansion, saying such activities are unacceptable and "contravene international law and Security Council resolutions".

Addressing the future of the peace process, Fu said the two-state solution is "nonnegotiable", calling it "the only viable pathway to resolving the Palestinian question". "Any unilateral action that erodes its foundation must be firmly rejected," he said.

Contact the writers at minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com