Says Many Opportunities to Resolve the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict Were Missed, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Recalls Conversations in 2016

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov while attending the G20 Summit in Bali. (Twitter/@mfa_russia)

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there were many opportunities to resolve the conflict between Palestine and Israel, but they were all missed in the past, recalling a conversation involving the President of Russia in 2016.

The latest armed conflict broke out in the Gaza Strip and has been going on for more than a month, after the Hamas militant group invaded Israel's southern region on October 7.

That sparked regional fears of an expanding conflict and attracted global attention, from the United States to Russia.

"There were many opportunities (to resolve the conflict). However, they were all missed. There were several attempts and it seems that an agreement is close. This has become a kind of tradition, it must be said, on both sides," said Foreign Minister Lavrov, quoted from TASS, November 16.

"Palestine's position is also changing, but it is important for us to maintain relations with both parties," he continued.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Lavrov recalled that in 2016, the former Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, made a telephone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said he wanted to start direct talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, if there were no preconditions.

He said that Palestinians at that time were "very angry with Israeli activities regarding settlements, families living there were forcibly evicted and Palestinians had the precondition that this must stop."

"When President Putin conveyed the message from PM Netanyahu, President Abbas said: 'From you, from a good friend, with respect, I will accept this offer,'" Lavrov said.

"It happened in August-September 2016. We immediately informed PM Netanyahu's government, but nothing happened," Lavrov added.

It is known that the government media office in Gaza announced on Wednesday that the death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip had increased to 11,500, including 4,710 children and 3,160 women.

"The number of deaths among medical personnel has reached 200," the office said in a statement on Telegram, quoted by Anadolu.

Meanwhile, the number of injured people reached 29,800 people, and around 70% of them were children and women.

Wednesday's statement also said 95 government buildings and 255 schools had been destroyed. A total of 74 mosques were completely destroyed and 162 partially damaged, as well as three churches.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Israel reached 1,200 people, according to official figures.