Senior Russian diplomat speaks on phone with head of Palestinian National Initiative movement

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov discussed the situation in the Middle East with the head of the Palestinian National Initiative movement, Mustafa Barghouti. in a phone call Wednesday,

The conversation was held at the initiative of the Palestinian side, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the bulk of the call concerned Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza and the growing humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip.

"The issues of restoring Palestinian national unity on the political platform of the Palestine Liberation Organization were separately touched upon, including in light of the results of inter-Palestinian meetings held earlier in Moscow and Beijing," it said.

Israel continues its devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last October despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 91,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over 10 months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.