Moscow concerned about halt in Palestinian peace efforts

Russia expressed concern Friday about the halt in Palestinian peace efforts following tensions in the Middle East triggered by a US-Israeli military offensive against Iran.

The Foreign Ministry underlined that pushing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which it described as a “key issue,” to the margins of the regional agenda carries long-term risks of profound military and political destabilization, with global repercussions.

“We note persistent violations of the ceasefire regime, as a result of which civilians continue to lose their lives,” it said in a statement. “There remains a significant shortfall in humanitarian assistance to the residents of the Gaza Strip, who are already exhausted by years of conflict.”

Moscow said Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank is expanding, accompanied by a rise in violence against Palestinians.

It also outlined that recent developments seriously damage the prospects for achieving a sustainable two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in accordance with the UN-endorsed international legal framework.

Israeli forces have carried out daily violations of a ceasefire in place since Oct. 10, which have killed 736 victims and wounded 2,035 as of March 18, according to Palestine Health Ministry data.

Israel launched a war on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounding around 172,000, and devastating 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure.