UNITED NATIONS, January 20. /TASS/. Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya has lauded the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and expressed the hope that this agreement will be a basis for lasting peace.
"We must nor forget about the price paid by the enclave’s residents with their lives over these months. At least 47,000 Palestinians have died over the 15 months of Israel’s military operation in Gaza. There haven’t been such heavy losses among civilians since World War II," he said at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the Middle East.
He recalled that all UN Security Council’s attempts to pass resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip were blocked by the United States. "The US was doing everything it can not to let the Security Council hinder Israel’s actions on the ground, citing its so-called quiet diplomacy," Nebenzya said.
The Russian diplomat stressed that the implementation of the "two-state formula" endorsed by the UN resolutions is the only way to lasting peace in the region. He also called on Israel to stop its settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
"The world must rise to the defense of the ceasefire, support initiatives to ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access and re-launch talks on the basis of international law," he said and pledged that Russia will continue monitoring the implementation of the deal and support peaceful settlement efforts.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said late on January 15 that thanks to the mediatory efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held in the enclave. During the first 42-day phase of the deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages in exchange for Israel freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Under preliminary arrangements, the first phase of the agreement was supposed to come into effect at 6:30 GMT on Sunday, but its beginning was postponed until 9:15 a.m. GMT because Hamas delayed the list with the names of hostages it would release on day one. On the same day, three Israeli women were returned home. The latest data from the Israeli side estimates the number of hostages still held in Gaza at 94.