CAIRO, July 22 -- Chinese envoy on Middle East affairs Wu Sike said here on Tuesday that China firmly supports Egypt- sponsored ceasefire deal between the two warring sides in the Gaza Strip, and hoped all parties can work together to end their conflict at an earlier date.

Speaking to a press conference here in Cairo, Wu said huge losses of civilian lives have been done in the ever escalating conflict between Israel and the Islamist Hamas Movement, adding that the Chinese government and its people are quite concerned about the situation and deeply sad for the atrocities.

China condemns all sorts of actions harming civilians, and urges Israel to end its military campaign immediately, he said, adding that the Chinese side also hopes that Hamas can stop firing rockets.

He told reporters that Beijing firmly supports all kinds of efforts that would facilitate a ceasefire, including the previous one presented by the Egyptian government last week.

In order to avert the cyclic eruption of Israel-Palestine conflict, it is highly advised that the final settlement should be realized through peace talks, which is the constant position of the Chinese government, he said.

He also said China supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and based on the 1967 border, adding that it is the only viable path toward restoring peace between the two sides.

"China understands Israel's security concerns, yet armed conflict can only make matters even worse, while Israel's safety and security can only be materialized through negotiations," he noted.

As part of an international mediation effort, the special envoy is on a regional tour that includes Palestine, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar. He arrived in the Egyptian capital on early Monday.