By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Brazil and Russia on Monday underlined the importance of efforts to achieve a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, where over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in reaction to a cross-border attack by Hamas in October last year.
A statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Mikhail Bogdanov, Moscow’s special envoy for the Middle East and Africa, held talks with Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Rodrigo de Lima Baena Soares.
The statement said that an exchange of views took place between Bogdanov and the Brazilian ambassador on current Middle Eastern issues “with an emphasis on the sharp escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
“At the same time, the importance of further vigorous efforts aimed at achieving an early ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and providing necessary humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population was noted,” it added.
Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border incursion by Hamas on Oct. 7. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed 30,534 people and injured 71,920 others with mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.