MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Moscow welcomes the move to declare a ceasefire between Palestine and Israel, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Friday.

"It is with great satisfaction that Moscow welcomes a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, launched at 02:00 am on May 21," she pointed out. According to Zakharova, the move is "important but not enough" to prevent tensions from escalating further. "At this stage, international and regional efforts should focus on creating conditions for reviving political talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians in order to resolve fundamental final status issues based on the UN resolution and the two-state solution," she emphasized.

According to Zakharova, Moscow particularly commends the mediation efforts on the part of Egypt and the United Nations. "Finding a sustainable and fair solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is crucial for ensuring comprehensive stability in the entire Middle East," the Russian diplomat added.

The exchange of rocket fire between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which had been raging since May 10, was triggered by riots at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police erupted after an Israeli court had ruled to evict several Palestinian families from Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and hand the property over to Israeli Jews. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 232 Palestinians were killed in the coastal enclave and 1,900 suffered wounds. In Israel, at least 12 people were killed (nine Israelis and three foreign workers). The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt.