MOSCOW, May 6. /TASS/. Israel will interpret recognition of the Palestinian state as support for the Hamas radical movement, Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Russia Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov told TASS.

"Hamas’ only goal is to eliminate Israel and the Israelis and the sadist attack on October 7 revealed this. Bearing this in mind, the recognition of the Palestinian state at this stage will be seen as support for and encouragement of Hamas actions," she said.

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 240 Israelis, including women, children and the elderly. 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.

In late November 2023, Hamas announced an agreement with Israel, which was brokered by Egypt and Qatar, on a four-day humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip, which took effect on November 24. The sides extended the ceasefire several times but on the morning of December 1 the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Hamas had violated the truce in Gaza and opened fire on Israeli territory, thus prompting the IDF to resume combat operations in the Gaza Strip.

According to the latest data from Gaza’s health ministry, the death toll from Israeli bombardments of the Gaza Strip has climbed to 34,683, with 78,018 people being wounded.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that the Russian side is convinced that a Palestinian state is not a whim but a solution, which is essential to the Middle East settlement.