UPDATE WITH REMARKS BY MOSCOW; CHANGES DECK
By Zein Khalil, Dimitri Chirciu
JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday slammed Russian positions against Israel over the Gaza war during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A statement by Netanyahu's office said the Israeli premier expressed dissatisfaction with the anti-Israel positions expressed by Russian representatives at the UN and in other forums.
He also sharply criticized the “dangerous” cooperation between Russia and Iran, the statement said.
''Israel would use all means, diplomatic and military alike, to free all of our hostages,” Netanyahu vowed during the phone call.
The Israeli premier also called on Moscow to pile pressure on the International Committee of the Red Cross “regarding visits and the delivery of medicines for our hostages,” the statement said.
The Kremlin also issued a statement in Moscow, stating that they discussed the "difficult situation in the Israel-Palestine issue, especially the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip."
During the conversation, Putin reiterated the principled position that "all manifestations of terrorism are unacceptable and condemned," emphasizing the importance of combating terrorist threats without causing harm to civilians.
He also highlighted that Russia can go to any length to alleviate civilian suffering and put an end to the conflicts, said the statement.
Putin and Netanyahu agreed to continue discussing the issue.
Russia, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, was among the 13 countries that voted on Friday in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza for humanitarian purposes. The resolution was vetoed by the US.
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 17,700 Palestinians and injuring more than 48,780 others, according to health authorities in the Palestinian enclave.
The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, while at least 138 hostages are still held by Hamas, according to official figures.