Farkhund Yousafzai
Moscow, 13 August 2024 (TDI): President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday told Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas that Russia was “concerned” about civilian deaths in Gaza.
Russia is doing everything to support Palestine and the Palestinian people, Putin said.
He added that the only way to create “long-lasting, enduring, and stable peace in the region is implementation of all UN resolutions and the establishment of a fully-fledged Palestinian state.
Abbas told Putin they felt that Russia was one of the dearest friends of the Palestinian people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin tells Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that Moscow is “concerned” about civilian deaths in #Gaza.https://t.co/DKGarkI2Xf
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) August 13, 2024
The leaders held a meeting after a weekend strike on a Gaza school building left at least 93 people dead, including eleven minors, according to the Gaza civil defense agency.
Russia for years tried to balance ties with all major players in the Middle East — including Israel and the Palestinians.
But since the Israel-Hamas war and Moscow’s own offensive on Ukraine, Putin has moved closer to Israel’s enemies, Hamas and Iran.
The Gaza war erupted with the Hamas October 7 attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people.
Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed about 39,929 people, according to a toll from the territory’s health ministry, which does not give a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths.
Russia has repeatedly criticized Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks and called for restraint.
