MOSCOW (Realist English). Against the backdrop of escalation in the Persian Gulf, ongoing strikes on Lebanon and tensions in other Middle East “hot spots,” the Russian Foreign Ministry issued two policy statements. In them, Moscow emphasized the priority of Palestinian settlement, criticized attempts to push this issue to the sidelines, and called on all participants in the upcoming talks in Pakistan to take a responsible approach.
The Palestinian problem: “serious concern.”
In a commentary by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, it is stressed that pushing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to the periphery of the regional agenda carries long-term risks of deep destabilization with global implications. “Peacekeeping efforts to improve the situation on the Palestinian territories have effectively been put on hold,” the diplomat stated.
Moscow notes chronic violations of the ceasefire regime, resulting in continued civilian casualties, as well as a serious shortage of humanitarian assistance for the residents of the Gaza Strip, who have already been exhausted by years of war. The situation is complicated by chronic underfunding of the Palestinian National Authority and the expansion of Israeli settlement activity on the West Bank of the Jordan River, accompanied by increasing violence against Palestinians by settlers.
“Such developments seriously damage the prospects for achieving a sustainable two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation in accordance with the UN-approved international legal framework, which envisages the creation of an independent State of Palestine in Gaza and the West Bank of the Jordan River with its capital in East Jerusalem, coexisting in peace and security with Israel,” Zakharova stressed.
Russia believes that the Palestinian problem cannot be addressed on a residual basis or become hostage to the current military-political conjuncture. “No one is capable of cutting the ‘Gordian knot’ of Middle East crises alone,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, adding that the key role in this process should belong to the states of the region with constructive international assistance.
Prospects for talks in Islamabad
In a separate statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that an opportunity for resolving the difficult situation in the Persian Gulf is now opening up. The majority of countries in the world support this process and hope for the success of the US-Iran talks, which are to begin in Islamabad with the mediation of Pakistan’s friends.
However, as Moscow noted, there are forces that are hindering the movement toward peace, wittingly or unwittingly creating obstacles. “Those who unleashed aggression against Iran and now blame it for the problems with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz should not gloss over how events actually unfolded and the fact that before February 28 this vital waterway was functioning smoothly,” the statement said.
The key task at the current stage, according to Moscow, is to eliminate the root causes of the destructive conflict in the region, i.e., a complete cessation of the war launched by the United States and Israel. Its consequences include damage suffered by the states of the Arabian Peninsula, as well as hostilities in the Lebanese-Israeli border zone and missile and bomb strikes on Lebanon, which must be stopped immediately.
Russia advocates resolving differences between the countries of the region through political and diplomatic means and calls on all participants in the announced talks in Pakistan to take a responsible approach and avoid any actions that could undermine the chance that has opened up.
Moscow also reaffirmed the relevance of its initiative to agree on a security concept for the Persian Gulf by establishing dialogue among all coastal states — the Arab countries and the Islamic Republic of Iran — with the participation and assistance of external players capable of sincerely contributing to achieving a fair and sustainable balance of interests.
Chronicle of the catastrophe
Military operations in the Gaza Strip have not ceased, despite the fragile ceasefire. Since the start of the war with Iran, at least 16 Palestinians have been killed. On the night of March 22, the Israeli army carried out strikes on Rafah, killing 15 people, including three children. Over the course of that day, the bodies of 93 dead and 142 wounded were brought to hospitals. According to local health authorities, more than 680 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire agreement in Gaza came into force, and by April 9 the total number of victims had reached 738.
At the same time, pro-Israeli Palestinian militias have become more active. With Israeli support, they conduct raids, targeted killings and abductions in Hamas-controlled areas. The most influential groups are the “Popular Forces” in Rafah and the “Terrorism Fighting Operations Headquarters” in Khan Yunis, which Israel has tasked with protecting a controlled zone, including the Rafah crossing.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continue at an average of about 10 per day.
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic. The volume of humanitarian aid has fallen to about 10% of its previous level after the closure of the Rafah crossing and the escalation of the regional war. Supplies of fuel and humanitarian aid remain extremely limited, and medical evacuation of patients is almost paralyzed.
A food security report prepared with UN support states that a mass famine may begin in the northern Gaza Strip no later than May. Some 210,000 people could find themselves in a catastrophic food security situation. More than half of all Palestinians in Gaza (1.1 million people) have completely exhausted their food supplies and are facing catastrophic hunger. The southern provinces — Deir al-Balah, Khan Yunis and Rafah, where about 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge — are on the brink of mass famine.
The number of displaced persons in Gaza stands at 1.4 million, many of whom live in overcrowded and unsafe places. More than 900 displacement sites are at risk of flooding, which could further worsen the situation for hundreds of thousands of people.