UNITED NATIONS, October 23. /TASS/. The Gaza ceasefire deal should make Israel see that dialogue with neighbors and a rejection of the use of force can help ensure the security of the Jewish state better than advanced weapons, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.
"The example of Gaza, where the majority of hostages were released through talks, should demonstrate to Israel that a departure from relying on brutal military interference and border buffer zones in favor of dialogue and genuine respect for the interests of neighbors can help it ensure the safety of its citizens better than the most advanced weapons systems," he pointed out at at the UN Security Council's open debate on the Middle East.
The Russian envoy expressed hope that positive developments in the Middle East "will benefit other parts of the region, including Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria, ultimately leading to the normalization of Arab-Israeli relations."
"Russia, which has maintained trust-based and constructive ties with all countries of the region without exception, is determined to continue contributing to peace in the Middle East both at the national level and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. We are ready to work with all parties that share the goal of achieving a just, long-term and sustainable peace across the Middle East through on the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," Nebenzya noted.
US President Donald Trump announced on October 9 that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement on the first phase of a peace plan, which envisaged the liberation of all hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops to an agreed-upon line. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced in the early hours of October 10 that the government had approved a deal to release all hostages. The ceasefire agreement took effect at 9:00 a.m. GMT on October 10. However, both parties have since accused each other of ceasefire violations.