MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. Issues of the Israeli-Palestinian settlement were among the topics of a telephone call between Russian and Saudi Foreign Ministers, Sergey Lavrov and Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"The sides discussed current issues of bilateral relations, cooperation within the BRICS format in the context of the decision made by the association’s leaders at the 15th summit in Johannesburg on August 22-24 to invite new BRICS members from January 1, 2025. The ministers also exchanged view on problems of the Middle East settlement," it said.

Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory, killing many Israelis living in the settlements near the border and abducting more than 200 people, including children, women and the elderly. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank.