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Middle East conflict

Russia concerned over Israel’s plans to occupy Gaza — senior diplomat

Sergey Vershinin reiterated Moscow’s principled position in support for a comprehensive Middle East settlement on the basis of relevant resolutions of the United Nations and its Security Council

MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin met with Israeli Ambassador to Russia Simona Halperin to express Russia’s concern over Israel’s plans for the total occupation of the Gaza Strip, the Russian foreign ministry said.

"Much attention during the meeting was paid to the current situation in the Middle East, in particular, in the occupied Palestinian territories, with a focus on the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. In this context, the Russia side expressed serious concern over Israel’s plans to occupy the entire Gaza Strip and stressed the inadmissibility of the policy fixing new realities on the ground, which is fraught with further escalation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The senior Russian diplomat reiterated Moscow’s principled position in support for a comprehensive Middle East settlement on the basis of relevant resolutions of the United Nations and its Security Council," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the diplomats also discussed the situation in and around Ukraine. "The Russian side explained its firm course toward a lasting settlement and the need for eliminating the root causes of the conflict. The sides also discussed issues of bilateral relations," it said.

According to earlier reports, the Israeli war cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans for talking control of Gaza City and expanding the operation throughout the enclave.

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