Russia’s foreign ministry called on Israel to establish a truce in Gaza so that supplies of food and medicine could enter, saying it was intolerable that what it called Israel’s “indiscriminate” shelling of the Gaza Strip was killing so many civilians.
After speaking on the phone with Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) executive committee, Moscow released the statement.
Earlier on Thursday, when the Red Cross asked for fuel to be allowed in to stop overburdened hospitals from “turning into mortuaries,” Israel declared there would be no humanitarian exceptions to its embargo of the Gaza Strip until all of its detainees were freed.
According to the Russian foreign ministry, Bogdanov and Al-Sheikh agreed that a truce was necessary in order to transfer food and medication to Gaza’s residents.
Both parties concurred that Gaza’s water and electricity services should be resumed, the statement stated.
“The unacceptability of the indiscriminate bombardment leading to numerous civilian casualties was emphasised,” the Russian administration stated.
“The goal of preventing an exodus from the Gaza Strip, which should become part of an independent Palestinian State on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, was (also) emphasised.”
“We strongly condemn any manifestations of extremism, terrorism, hostage-taking, blockading people, deliberately creating unbearable living conditions and other violent acts against civilians, along with the indiscriminate use of force in the conduct of military operations,” the statement by the ministry added.
