Russian President’s Telephone Conversation With Netanyahu

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, in which he expressed Moscow's readiness to continue efforts to resolve the fierce Israeli-Palestinian confrontation.

RELATED:
More Than 2,800 Killed in Palestine Due to Israeli Attacks

The Kremlin press office said in a statement, Putin reaffirmed "the Russian side's principled willingness to continue concrete work to end the Palestinian-Israeli standoff and achieve a peaceful settlement by political and diplomatic means."

The Kremlin said the conversation focused on "the crisis situation resulting from the brutal escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," which has left thousands dead since last October 7.

Putin expressed "sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased," and informed Netanyahu of Russia's actions to seek a solution to the conflict, "avoid a new escalation of violence and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip."

The Russian president also informed Netanyahu of several telephone conversations he held with the leaders of Egypt's Abdelfatah Al Sisi, Iran's Ebrahim Raisi and Syria's Bashar al-Assad, including with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Regional Leaders Call for an Immediate Ceasefire

The Kremlin said that at these talks "unanimous opinion was expressed on the need for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a humanitarian truce in order to provide urgent aid to all those in need."

The leaders called for "lifting the blockade of Gaza for the urgent provision of medicines, food and other necessities," while denouncing the catastrophic rise in civilian casualties and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In addition, they expressed extreme concern "about the possibility of the conflict escalating into a regional war." 

The Russian president stated that Moscow is ready to coordinate efforts with all constructive partners to curb hostilities as soon as possible. In this regard, Putin noted that "Russia has forwarded to the UN Security Council a draft resolution on the immediate declaration of a humanitarian truce of a balanced and apolitical character."

Putin insisted on the need to resume the settlement process in the Middle East, which must consist of a just and lasting decision to the Palestinian problem providing for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. 

After ten days of escalation, the latest update from the Palestinian Ministry of Health puts the number of people killed by the Israeli aggression at 2,866 and more than 12,000 injured. On the Israeli side, more than 1,400 people have been killed and some 3,300 injured.