China urges action to keep Israeli-Palestinian issue from spinning out of control

China's ambassador to the UN on Thursday urged the international community to take urgent action to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict before it spirals out of control.

"The Palestinian Israeli conflict has escalated to its most severe state," Zhang Jun told a UN General Assembly meeting on the conflict, now in its second week.

"In recent years, China expressed grave concerns over developments and urged the international community to take urgent action to end the current crisis and prevent the situation from spinning out of control."

Zhang called for an "immediate" cessation of hostilities and violence to avoid more civilian casualties.

"Days of conflicts have caused heavy casualties of Palestinian civilians, including many women and children, some as young as several months," he continued.

He also urged Israel to stop new settlements in occupied Palestinian lands along with evictions of Palestinian families and demolition of houses, and asked Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza and let humanitarian aid in "immediately."

At least 232 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's relentless assault on the Gaza Strip since May 10, including 65 children, 39 women, and 17 elderly people.

According to the Gaza-based Health Ministry, over 1,700 more people have been injured as Israel continues to pound the besieged Palestinian territory in airstrikes.

Israel launched an offensive on Gaza after Hamas fired rockets in retaliation for days of violent Israeli assaults on Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan.