On Wednesday, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to convene an international summit to find a long-term solution to Israel’s war with the Palestinians.
Moscow has frequently urged for the establishment of a Palestinian state and maintains contacts with both Hamas, which it does not consider a terrorist outfit and Israel.
“The only way for this problem to be solved forever, and to be solved in a just way, is to hold an international conference with all five permanent members of the UN Security Council”, Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister told Russian senators.
Lavrov stated that the conference should include the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council representatives.
“The UN should play a leading role in convening such an event”, Lavrov continued.
Lavrov went on to say, “I trust that the UN Secretary-General is quite capable of such an initiative”.
Russia, along with China, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
Lavrov further stated that the continuing injustice against the Palestinian people, to whom the creation of a Palestinian state was promised… fuels very serious terrorist and extremist sentiments.
He also confirmed that Moscow was doing all possible to free the hostages kidnapped by Hamas during its extraordinary attack on Israel in October.
In recent weeks, Hamas has freed three Russian citizens held hostage in a deal outside of accords with Israel.
During Israel’s military assault in Gaza, Russia has become increasingly critical of Israel, with President Vladimir Putin denouncing the catastrophic humanitarian situation.
According to Israeli authorities, the worst Gaza war in history began on October 7 when Hamas gunmen attacked Israel, killed around 1,200 people, and took around 240 hostages.
Israel launched a deadly aerial and ground invasion of Gaza, intending to destroy Hamas and return the hostages.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the war has killed over 18,400 individuals, the majority of whom are women and children.
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