MOSCOW, July 03./ITAR-TASS/. Moscow urges the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to exert maximum effort to find the abductors of three Israeli and one Palestinian teenagers and bring them to justice, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, July 3.

“We continue to receive alarming reports about the escalation of tensions on the Palestinian territories. According to media reports, up to 20 missiles and about a dozen mortar shells were fired from Gaza at the southern regions of Israel on the night from July 2 to July 3. The city of Sderot was shelled the hardest. In return, the Israeli Air Force attacked 15 targets in the enclave, wounding about 10 Palestinians. More than 30 missiles have been fired at Israel and several dozen targets have been bombed in Gaza since the beginning of July,” the ministry said.

The situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has also deteriorated. “One of the main reasons for that was the abduction by unidentified persons and the subsequent atrocious killing of Mohammed Abu Khudair, a 16-year-old Palestinian. We condemn this crime in the strongest possible terms and express sincere condolences to his family,” the ministry said.

“Moscow considers the criminal practice of abduction and killing of innocent peaceful people, be it Israelis or Palestinians, absolutely unacceptable and rejects it completely.”

“We urge the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to exert maximum effort to find those responsible for the abduction and appalling killing of three Israeli teenagers and Abu Khudair,” the ministry said.

“Once again we are strongly calling on the conflicting sides to put an end to the vicious circle of violence, show restraint and take all the necessary steps to normaliяe the situation,” it said.