UNITED NATIONS, July 12, 4:52 /ITAR-TASS/. Russia urges spare no effort to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian radicals from the Gaza Strip the soonest possible and for these ends to use Egypt’s mediation potential, Russian Permanent Representative at the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told journalists on Friday. 

“We think that it is necessary that the sides reach a ceasefire agreement the soonest possible,” he said. “We would like to see the experience of November 2012 repeated, when Egypt acted as a mediator and helped the Israelis and the Gaza authorities agree to cease fire. We hope very much that this could be achieved as soon as possible.”

The Russian diplomat said that a day before the United Nations Security Council tried to pass a statement urging to put an end to violence in the Palestinian enclave. Jordan’s delegations “outlined some elements” that could be laid as a basis for such a document, Churkin said. “After that they retired for talks with the U.S. delegation. That was all,” he noted.

At a Thursday meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned about a threat of a large-scale conflict in the Gaza Strip. He said the current situation was the biggest challenge facing the region in the recent years.

Israel’s last large-scale offensive against HAMAS militants in Gaza took place in late 2012. Serious clashes were avoided thanks to Egypt’s mediation efforts.