Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday told his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, that it is important to exchange views on the situation in the region, especially the conflict in Palestine.
“Of course, it is very important for us to exchange views on the situation in the region, especially regarding the situation in Palestine,” Putin said during a meeting in Moscow.
Putin also said that he will surely “take advantage” of Raisi’s invitation and visit Iran.
For his part, the Iranian leader said that the attacks on the Gaza Strip need to be stopped as soon as possible, and finding a quick solution to the escalation is necessary.
"It is necessary to stop the bombing [of the Gaza Strip] as soon as possible. This issue is not only a matter of our region, it is a matter of all mankind. Therefore, it is necessary to find a very quick solution to this issue," Raisi said at the meeting with Putin.
On October 7, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, breaching the border and killing and taking captives in nearby Israeli military sites and communities. The movement said its operation, Al-Aqsa Flood, was in response to Israeli provocations and occupation of Palestinian territories.
Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food and fuel. On October 27, Israel launched a large-scale ground incursion into Gaza, ostensibly to eliminate Hamas fighters and rescue hostages.
Later, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The truce was extended several times, but on Friday, the fighting was resumed.
The escalation of the conflict has resulted in the deaths of some 1,200 people in Israel and more than 17,000, mostly children and women, in Gaza. Meanwhile, at least 256 Palestinians have died as a result of Israeli violence in the West Bank.