UNITED NATIONS, March 20. /TASS/. The Israeli government has chosen war over peace, as the ceasefire has proven unsustainable, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said.
"Today, we have to admit with great disappointment that the ceasefire - which we all were promoting for so long - has proved to be unsustainable. It’s hard to theorize about its future in a situation when the Israeli military and political leadership is openly declaring its determination to mount pressure on Hamas and conduct further negotiations under gunfire," he told the UN Security Council. "It looks like the choice has already been made, they’ve gone the way of war. Who knows how many more lives will be lost in Palestine and Israel."
The Russian diplomat believes the ceasefire shattered because the UN Security Council was largely excluded from the negotiation process from the very beginning and "the emphasis was placed on efforts of other mediators."
"Therefore, the entire arsenal of UN instruments, which could have ensured a sustainable ceasefire, was not used," he said. "This should be understood by those who will work on restoring the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."
Polyansky went on to say that despite a new round of escalation, a "diplomatic solution is not just possible, it remains the only realistic option."
"We call upon the Israelis and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table with the assistance of mediators in order to forge a mutually acceptable compromise solution to the issues of hostages, ceasefire and humanitarian access. This would pave the way for a lasting cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and full-scale reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave," the Russian diplomat said.
"The Israeli-Palestinian settlement process needs to return to the political domain, addressing Israel’s security concerns as well as Palestine’s hope of establishing its own state within the 1967 borders. We are ready to work on this task in the Security Council, in cooperation with those who share this approach," Polyansky concluded.
Disruption of Gaza ceasefire
Previously, the Israel Defense Forces announced that it had resumed its ground operation in the Gaza Strip and regained control over the Netzarim corridor in the central part of the enclave. The Jewish state’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Palestinians must return all Israeli hostages and expel Hamas from the Gaza Strip, otherwise Israel will "totally destroy" the enclave.
On March 18, Israeli forces delivered a series of mass strikes on the Gaza Strip. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attributed the operation to Hamas’ refusal to accept proposals put forward by mediators and US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff.