Scandalous images from the Israeli attacks on Gaza are still on the agenda. Footage of the Israeli army arresting Palestinians has caused outrage around the world. At the same time, a French warship stationed in the Red Sea was targeted by 2 drones. The official statement said that the warship successfully opened fire and neutralized the drones.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov participated in the Doha Forum in Qatar via video conference. “We must do everything in our power to maintain political pressure to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire,” Lavrov said on Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip. Diplomacy is always full of hope. This is what we have been doing since the beginning of the current wave of violence. On October 7, we condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by Israel. Finally, he said, “We do not accept the use of this event to collectively punish millions of Palestinians through indiscriminate attacks on civilians.”
“I DON’T THINK I’M BEING HYPOCRITICAL”
Asked whether Russia is hypocritical in its attitude towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Lavrov said: “It’s up to you. I don’t think that I am hypocritical or that Russia is doing such a thing. We have never hidden how armed activities in Chechnya were carried out. We have never hidden what we did in Syria at the request of the legitimate government with UN representation. Russia has fought against terrorist organizations, especially those that emerged as a result of the US invasion of Iraq, and we will continue our fight against terrorism.”
RUSSIA’S EFFORTS
Lavrov said that Russia is making efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and that they have also met with Hamas in this regard, adding, “Hamas carried out an attack on October 7, which we immediately condemned. Hamas has a political branch in Doha. We have relations with that political branch and we immediately contacted the people in Doha to discuss the future of the people.”
Kassam Brigades: They will not get the prisoners back without negotiations
As the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip continued for the 65th day, Abu Ubaidah, the spokesperson of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, issued an audio message.
In his message, Ubaydah referred to the Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip and said, “We are telling the Israelis that Netanyahu, Gallant and others in the war cabinet will not get the prisoners back without negotiations. The recent killing of a prisoner whom they tried to take back by force proves this.”
Ubaydah said that in the last 10 days, more than 180 Israeli military vehicles from Beit Hanoun to Khan Younis were partially or completely destroyed, “which led to many deaths and injuries in the ranks of the enemy.”
“The enemy’s only claim of victory is its attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure,” said Ubaydah, adding that the Israeli administration’s statements that Hamas was dealt a major blow were meant to deceive the public.
“Thousands of our fighters are waiting for an opportunity to fight,” Ubaydah said, calling on people in the Arab and Islamic world to protest and not stand by and watch.
Putin statement from Israel
The Prime Minister’s Office reported that Netanyahu, in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin today, expressed his dissatisfaction with the ‘anti-Israel’ position of the Moscow authorities on the war against Hamas in the UN and other fora.
Putin also criticized the cooperation between Russia and Iran, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
Netanyahu also asked Putin to pressure the Red Cross to visit the remaining hostages and deliver medicine to them.
Israeli media reported that Netanyahu had interrupted the cabinet meeting due to the phone call.
Netanyahu leaves cabinet meeting to meet Putin after tensions with Russia
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu left the cabinet meeting early and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for 50 minutes, Netanyahu’s spokesman told The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu rejects call to end the war in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has rejected international calls for an end to the Gaza war, arguing that they are inconsistent with supporting the goal of eliminating Hamas.
Briefing his cabinet, Netanyahu said he told the leaders of France, Germany and other countries: “You cannot on the one hand support the elimination of Hamas and on the other hand pressure us to end the war that will prevent the elimination of Hamas.”
At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu thanked US President Joe Biden for his administration’s veto of a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire and for approving an emergency shipment of some 14,000 tank shells.
