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Middle East conflict

Ambassador to Russia says Israel negotiating with Abbas pointless

"Mahmoud Abbas, who is supposed to visit Moscow soon, has no control over Gaza," Alexander Ben Zvi said

MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. The Israeli side cannot negotiate a settlement with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, since he does not control the Gaza Strip, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi told reporters.

"They keep telling me that we should sit down at the negotiating table, talk about two states. Let's think about how we will do that," the diplomat said. "I always ask, if I sit down at the negotiating table, then who with? It's a simple question. With whom will I sit down: with Hamas, which wants to destroy me and says so itself, or, for example, with the Palestinians who sit in Ramallah, that is, with the Palestinian Authority, because Hamas does not belong to them, they are adversaries?" he asked.

"Mahmoud Abbas, who is supposed to visit Moscow soon, has no control over Gaza," the ambassador went on to say. "So I will negotiate with him, and then what? We need the one who sits down to talk to be able to fulfill what he promised," the Israeli diplomat explained.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 after militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise incursion on Israeli territory, killing many Israeli kibbutz residents living near the Gaza border and abducting more than 200 Israelis, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ aggressive actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria, as well as a ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari announced an expansion of Israeli ground operations on October 27.

Middle East conflict

Israel wants to drag whole region into war, engages in terrorism, says Erdogan

Russia, China do not need to create military alliance — Lavrov

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Russian troops entrenched in liberated settlements of Kursk Region’s Sudzha District

According to commander of the Akhmat special forces unit Apty Alaudinov, the situation is under control

West switches to open support for Kiev's terrorist attacks against civilians — MFA

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FIDE General Assembly to consider full-fledged access of Russian athletes

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Emergency services together with representatives of the territory’s administration are working on the spot

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Russian forces strike Ukrainian energy facilities, troops last night — top brass

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The top Russian diplomat noted that he had good relations with many of his Israeli counterparts

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Russia to push for multipolar world order jointly with global majority — diplomat

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Kremlin slams Poland's idea to revise Crimea's status 'absurd'

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The Israel Defense Forces said earlier that a pinpoint strike was delivered on Beirut that killed Hezbollah Shiite militia commander Ibrahim Aqil and several other Hezbollah commanders

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Iran's supreme leader calls on Islamic countries to sever economic ties with Israel

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Press review: BRICS challenges existing security concepts and Europe's economy in trouble

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, September 13th

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Ukrainian drones attack Kamenka-Dneprovskaya in Zaporozhye Region

"Another cynical attack by terrorists for whom nothing is sacred," Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said

Ukrainian breakthrough attempts thwarted: developments in Kursk Region

The Russian military repelled three attempts by the Ukrainian military to break through the border near Novy Put, Malaya Obukhovka and Medvezhye

Ukrainians sustain over 300 casualties in Kursk area in past day, Russia says

Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian losses have amounted to over 300 troops and nine units of armored hardware, including an infantry fighting vehicle, two APCs, six armored combat vehicles, as well as six artillery guns

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"The UN General Assembly always encompasses a very broad agenda," Sergey Ryabkov stressed

Russian prime minister approves list of countries imposing destructive attitudes

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"The North Korean people express their support for the Russian people in their just struggle," Choe Son Hui stressed

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Physicists from Russia to be banned from Large Hadron Collider from December 1 — Nature

At the same time, CERN will continue to work on projects already underway with about 270 employees of the Russian Joint Institute for Nuclear Research

Russia’s air defenses repel massive attack on Bryansk region, taking down over 50 drones

Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense forces intercepted or destroyed 53 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles

More than 25 aerial targets downed over Kherson region, Sea of Azov — governor

No injuries were caused

Russia wants no nuclear war — Lavrov

The foreign minister still assured that Russia possesses weapons "that will have serious implications for the handlers of the Ukrainian regime"

Russia delivers urgent assistance to Mali — portal

The delivery was organized as part of military cooperation between Russia and Mali to boost defense and security ties

Explosions in Lebanon pose interest for Russian intelligence — Kremlin spokesman

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Kadyrov send two more Cybertucks to special military operation zone

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Stoltenberg's statements on use of long-range missiles against Russia senseless — MFA

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Ukrainian troops captured: situation in Kursk Region

In total, the enemy has lost over 11,800 servicemen since fighting began in the region

Russia offers safe haven for people trying to escape Western liberal ideals

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Theft of Russian assets to nullify trust towards EU — MFA

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the European Union had lost independence

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Two unmanned aerial vehicles have been downed near Tikhoretsk

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Hezbollah handing out pagers hours before their detonation — agency

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Russia welcomes normalization of Iran’s relations with Arab countries — Lavrov

It is in the interests of both Iran and its Arab countries to establish "friendly, normal, goods relations," Russian Foreign Minister added

Press review: US shifts rhetoric on Ukraine and walkie-talkie explosions rock Lebanon

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, September 19th

Florida court rules to arrest Russian citizen Postovoy, take him to Washington

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Battlegroup North liberates two settlements in Kursk Region this week

Apart from that, according to the report, Russian aircraft struck areas of deployment of manpower and weapons of the Ukrainian army’s three mechanized, one tank, and two assault brigades

First five Baikal aircraft will be delivered in 2026 — minister

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Zelensky may be overthrown if Ukraine fails to hold elections — Ukrainian MP

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Hezbollah attacks Israeli military headquarters in Ein-Zeitim

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Hezbollah commanders wanted to repeat October 7 in northern Israel — General Staff

The IDF said that it had conducted a targeted strike in Beirut, adding that Ibrahim Aqil, a military commander of Hezbollah’s militia, was killed along with other top brass

Russia-Africa summit to be held in 2-3 years on African continent — Lavrov

There is a plan of action developed by the commission of the African Union and the government of the Russian Federation through 2026, Russian Foreign Minister said

Ukrainian troops attack two settlements in Russia’s Belgorod region, leaving no casualties

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov added that in the settlement of Murom, the Shebekinsky district, the windows of a private house were broken out, the roof and fence were damaged due to a drone attack

Israeli army declares strikes on 180 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon

"The Israel Defense Forces have completed a series of strikes on southern Lebanon," the army’s press service said in a statement

Ten Ukrainian drones destroyed over Russia’s Bryansk Region — governor

There are no casualties or damage

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Russia's military to restore control of all districts of Kursk Region — Kremlin

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