Israel-Palestine Escalation
Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, with Hamas movement's troops infiltrating border areas. On October 8, the Israeli government announced that it had invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law, which means the country was officially in a state of war.

Middle East Quartet Expansion to Deprive US of Monopoly in Peace Efforts: Palestinian Official

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel, leading to a devastating response that has claimed the lives of over 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza and left thousands more injured, according to Gazan authorities.
Sputnik
The expansion of the Middle East Quartet will deprive the US of its monopoly role as a mediator in the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Mahmoud al-Habash, Palestinian presidential advisor, told Sputnik on the sidelines of the XVI BRICS Summit in Kazan.

"The United States wants exclusivity in sponsoring the political process in the Middle East. This exclusivity is in fact a recipe for failure because of America's blind bias against Israel and America's continued hostility to the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people," Mahmoud al-Habash stated.

He underlined the necessity to restore balance in the political process by reducing American exceptionalism and by allowing other countries to join in.
Israel-Palestine Escalation
Palestine Ready to Join BRICS Work in Any Status, President Says
Focused on mediating the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Quartet on the Middle East currently includes the EU, Russia, the US, and the UN.