UPDATE - Russian official hints end of US arms supplies to Israel may facilitate settlement in Gaza

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY ZAKHAROVA

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Cessation of arms supplies from the US to Israel may facilitate the settlement process in Gaza, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

Answering a question by Anadolu at a news conference in Moscow, Zakharova refrained from commenting on US President Joe Biden's warning to Israel regarding halting some weapons sales in the event of a full-fledged operation in Rafah, but said arms supplies to conflict zones "delay prospects of the settlement."

"The statements of a mutual, reciprocal nature between Washington and Tel Aviv I leave to them," she said.

The diplomat argued that weapons transfers to conflict zones has been "a long-standing tactic employed by Washington," which has consistently led to increased destabilization, heightened antagonism, and the exacerbation of terrorist activity and extremism.

Zakharova also highlighted the role of arms shipments in undermining economies and prolonging the resolution of crises, particularly within the broader Middle East context. "And most importantly, it delays the moment of settlement of the crisis (in Palestine) and makes it generally vague in the context of the entire Middle East situation," she said.

The official highlighted the worsening situation in Gaza, attributing it to the Israeli ground military operation in the city of Rafah, located in the southern part of the Palestinian enclave, densely populated with approximately 1 million civilians.

"The suffering of civilians is escalating amid ongoing military operations. Lives are lost daily, including those of UN personnel. Access to humanitarian aid for Gaza residents remains unstable," she emphasized.

According to Zakharova, prospects for transitioning the conflict to a political and diplomatic resolution and implementing a cease-fire appear dim at this stage.

"We perceive the establishment of conditions for a political settlement through direct Palestinian-Israeli dialogue as the only way to end the conflict and prevent future escalations that cost innocent lives," she asserted.

Emphasizing the necessity of negotiations aligned with internationally endorsed frameworks, Zakharova advocated for a "two-state" solution as a cornerstone – Palestine within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting peacefully alongside Israel, ensuring mutual security and stability.

Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas cross-border attack that claimed 1,200 lives. Much of the enclave has been reduced to rubble besides causing conditions of famine.

Hamas accepted a cease-fire proposal by international mediators last week, but Israel rejected it and moved ahead with a limited operation in Rafah.