Russian President's Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in a telephone conversation on Tuesday with Maher Taher, a member of the Politburo of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, stressed the need for an immediate cessation of any hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
"During the conversation the parties discussed the emerging situation in the Middle East in connection with the continuing escalation of the armed confrontation between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The Russian side stressed the need for an immediate cessation of any hostilities and the prevention of further degradation of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Moscow also noted the importance of activating consolidated efforts of the participants of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators to establish Palestinian-Israeli negotiations on a well-known international legal basis.
The discussion was initiated by the Palestinian side.
Contacts with the Middle East Quartet
Russia, as part of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators, maintains contacts with the US, EU, UN and Arab countries in the region in connection with the escalation of tensions between Israel and Palestine. Bogdanov said this on the air of the RBC TV channel.
"As part of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators, we are communicating with the UN, the European Union, the Americans, and of course our Arab partners, who play an important role [in the region]. I mean primarily Egypt, Jordan," he said. - "Contacts are ongoing, but so far, unfortunately, the cease-fire is not working out very well, which should be done immediately by both sides."
Bogdanov added that it is necessary to sit down at the negotiating table and agree on a political settlement. "I'm not talking about the humanitarian disaster: a lot of dead and wounded. We need medical aid, medicine. Houses are being destroyed. The survivors are left homeless," said the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation.
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Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS