Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed the need for an independent Palestinian state amid the escalating war between Israeli and Hamas forces, but remarked that Israel “has the right to defend itself” against the brutal attacks by Hamas militants last Saturday.

Addressing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Putin said that there were “no alternatives” to the Israel-Palestine conflict other than the two-state solution, reported TASS news agency.

“The negotiations’ goal should be the implementation of the United Nations’ two-state formula, which implies the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting in peace and security with Israel, which, of course, as we have seen, has come under an attack of unprecedented brutality. Of course, it has the right to defend itself. It has the right to ensure its peaceful existence,” the Russian President said at the event.

“The way I see it, in a situation like this and in this particular place, there is simply no alternative [to two independent states],” Putin further said. Since the war broke out after the Hamas attack on Saturday, Russia has urgently called for a ceasefire between the two fighting parties.

Putin’s visit to Kyrgyzstan marked his first foreign trip following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes. The two-day trip included his participation in a CIS summit, a regional organisation comprised of former Soviet republics.

Russia on Israel-Hamas war at UN

Meanwhile, Russia has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to urge an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as the war escalates in the Middle East. A Russia-proposed UN document said that a long-term solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict could only be effected through peaceful means.

Russia also called for the immediate release of all hostages taken by Hamas militants. It also called for the “unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance, including of food, fuel and medical treatment, as well as creating conditions for the safe evacuation of civilians in need”.

Earlier, Putin said that the Israel-Hamas war was a result of “US policy failures” and blamed Washington for offering economic “handouts” to Palestinians without realising fundamental issues related to statehood. Russia hopes the ongoing situation distracts the US and its allies from providing support to its own arch-enemy Ukraine.

Russia’s careful stand towards the war reflects it long-standing ties to Israel, Palestine and other regional players in its hope to expand influence in the Middle East. Putin has previously urged the Israeli government and Hamas not to target civilians and emphasized that every effort must be made to quickly end the war, saying an escalation would raise grave risks.

The Soviet Union strongly backed the Palestinians and other allies in the Arab world against Israel during the Cold War by providing them military and political support. However, relations with Israel were restored under Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Putin later revived old Middle Eastern alliances while maintaining warm ties with Israel. More than 1 million people from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union have moved to Israel, as a show of strengthening ties.

Israel-Hamas war

The week-long war has already claimed over 3,200 lives on both sides and sent tensions soaring across the region. The death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza rose to more than 1,900, more than half under the age of 18, the ministry said. On the other hand, over 1,300 people have died in Israel from the Hamas attack since last week.

Israeli tanks and artillery have already approached the Gaza border in anticipation of a possible ground offensive. IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said that they are “getting ready for the next stage of operations.” Israel has also amassed over 300,000 reserve forces along the Gaza border for a potential full ground operation.

According to Hamas officials, around 70 people, mostly women and children, were killed during Israeli airstrikes as they were trying to rush out of the war-torn Gaza city. Hamas’ media office says the cars were struck in three places as they headed south from Gaza City. It was not immediately clear who the target of the airstrikes was, or whether militants were among the passengers. 

(with agency inputs)

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