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Bahrain calls on all parties of Middle East conflict to start negotiations — ambassador

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East after supporters of Hamas entered Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023

MOSCOW, October 15. /TASS/. All parties to the conflict in the Middle East must sit down at the negotiating table, Bahrain’s Ambassador to Russia Ahmed Al-Saati told TASS.

"The only solution of the conflict for all parties is to start negotiations. There are international resolutions and a two-state solution, which is the only legitimate one in the situation," he said.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East after supporters of Hamas entered Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking hundreds of hostages, including children, women and the elderly. Hamas said the attack came in response to the Israeli authorities’ actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel imposed a complete blockade on Gaza and started carrying out strikes against it and parts of Lebanon and Syria, before launching a ground operation in Gaza. Hostilities are also taking place in the West Bank of the Jordan River.

On October 1, Iran launched a massive missile strike on Israel in response to the assassinations of key figures in the leadership of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (elite units of the armed forces). Tehran said 90% of the missiles successfully hit their designated targets, while Israel said it intercepted most of the about 180 missiles fired by Iran. Israel Defense Forces General Staff pledged to choose a time and deliver a surprise response to the attack, while Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that strikes on Israel in that case would be even more powerful.