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Russia alarmed by deteriorating situation around Gaza Strip

Moscow voices serious concern over the escalation on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip

© AP Photo/Hatem Moussa

MOSCOW, August 9. /TASS/. Russia is highly concerned by the deteriorating situation around the Gaza Strip, as it is fraught with an armed confrontation, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, told a news briefing on Thursday.

"Moscow voices serious concern over the dangerous escalation on the background of lingering tensions," she said. "The risks of a new sweeping armed confrontation on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip are growing significantly. They are fraught with new civilian casualties on both sides and a steep slide of the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave."

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"We urge the Palestinians and the Israelis to display restraint and to take measures towards ruling out the relapses of violence with unpredictable aftermaths," Zakharova said.

"To break up the vicious circle of the armed confrontation, it is important to streamline meaningful dialogue on settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at an earliest possible date on the basis of UN Security Council’s resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative," she said. "Any unilateral decisions taken in bypass of international regulations for Middle East peace settlement do not facilitate movement to this objective."

The situation around Gaza deteriorated sharply on Wednesday night when the radical Palestinian groups opened intensive shelling of the Israeli territory in response to the killing of two Palestinian fighters, who did not pose any risk to the Israelis.

The latest data from the Israel Defense Forces suggests the Palestinians launched more than 180 missiles and projectiles and the Israeli Iron Dome air defense system intercepted 30 of them.

A number of missiles exploded inside populated localities, wounding seven Israelis as a minimum.

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Military operation in Ukraine

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Biden's decision to use ATACMS on Russia threatens to kill Americans — Tucker Carlson

The journalist also criticized US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (a Republican representing the state of Louisiana) for "not even mentioning it in public or in leadership meetings" with factions in the lower house of Congress

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

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West’s decision on missile strikes gives Russia free hand to attack NATO bases — expert

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NATO supports Ukraine not out of charity but for its own strategic interests — deputy head

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US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

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Ukraine has around 50 ATACMS missiles — The Times

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US, NATO decision on strikes continues policy of escalation — Putin

"Experts are well aware - and the Russian side has repeatedly underscored this - that it is impossible to use these weapons without direct participation of military specialists from the countries that produce these weapons," the president said

Putin sends message to those seeking to 'add fuel to fire' before Trump’s return — expert

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Russia to address NATO’s engagement in strikes deep inside country — SVR

Sergey Naryshkin observed that the military and political elites in the West are increasingly recognizing the gravity of Russia's intentions and the need for greater caution in their actions

Russia not obliged to notify anyone about launch of intermediate-range missile — Kremlin

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Press review: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines and Iran may halt uranium enrichment

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Russian forces push Ukrainian troops 10 km away from Lisichansk in LPR — expert

Russian troops have taken new lines and positions northwest of Zolotaryoka as a result of successful operations