MOSCOW, July 18 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is deeply concerned about the escalation of tensions in the Gaza Strip and urges Israelis and Palestinians to do everything in their power to stop the deadly armed clashes, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.
“Moscow is deeply concerned by further escalation of situation surrounding the [Gaza] Strip. The growing number of civilian casualties, including women and children, is of particular concern. Under these circumstances, we again urge the sides to do everything possible to stop the deadly armed clashes,” the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier the same day, US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged to refrain from further escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip.
On Thursday, the Israeli army started a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip aimed at destroying tunnels dug by Palestinian rebels under the joint border to secretly enter the Israeli territory.
The operation began soon after Israel and Hamas, which controls the Gaza strip, agreed to a five-hour UN-brokered humanitarian pause to ten-day fighting in the region.
Since the Israeli Army launched the Operation Protective Edge on July 8, a total of 227 people have been killed and 1,685 wounded in Gaza. One Israeli has been killed and over 300 have been wounded or suffered severe psychological trauma.
