Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman in comments reported by Russian state media on Tuesday warned Israel against a ground offensive against the Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
He said there was a threat of an expansion of the conflict in the Middle East which would have terrible consequences for the entire region and with a greater humanitarian catastrophe.
Peskov was speaking in Beijing, where President Vladimir Putin is making a two-day visit.
The Kremlin says that Putin intends to discuss the situation in the Middle East with China’s leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum.
Putin himself spoke on the phone with several leaders in the Middle East on Monday, including Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Kremlin chief, who was waging a destructive war against Ukraine, called for a ceasefire to protect civilians.
Peskov once again confirmed that Abbas is expected to visit Moscow, though no date has been set.
Russia advocated the creation of an independent Palestinian state while supporting security guarantees for Israel.
The people of Israel must live in peace; Peskov stressed, but said the most important task now is to end the war in the Middle East.
The Israel/Hamas war broke out in the early hours of 7 October, Hamas launched what it called Operation al-Aqsa DelugeThis followed by Israeli aircraft strikes on suspected Hamas facilities in the Gaza Strip, including several residential high-rises that were brought down.
Over 1000 deaths recorded so far from each of the parties.
