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Middle East conflict

Russian, Egyptian diplomats urge to prevent degradation of humanitarian situation in Gaza

According to the statement, the necessity of cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip was confirmed

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Russian Presidential Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Egyptian Ambassador to Moscow Nazih el Nagari pointed during a meeting to the necessity to prevent further degradation of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"During the meeting a detailed exchange of ideas on the issue of the Palestine-Israeli conflict took place," the statement reads. "Meanwhile, the necessity of cessation of hostilities as soon as possible and prevention of further degradation of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip was confirmed," the ministry added.

The situation in the Middle East escalated sharply on October 7 of last year after militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged surprise incursions from Gaza into borderline Israeli communities, killing residents of Israeli kibbutzim and taking more than 200 people as hostages, including children, women and the elderly. The radicals described the attack as a response to the aggressive actions of the Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel announced a complete blockade of Gaza and launched retaliatory strikes and a ground military operation against Hamas in the Palestinian enclave as well as strikes on parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also been reported in the West Bank.

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