Palestinian president, Russia's Putin discuss developments in Gaza

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday discussed developments in the Palestinian cause and ways to stop the Israeli war on Gaza.

According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, in a phone call, Abbas stressed to Putin "the urgent need to halt the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people."

Abbas also reiterated the importance of the swift entry of humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and fuel into Gaza "to prevent the displacement of Palestinians."

Abbas thanked Putin for "Russia's political support on the international stage and its humanitarian aid to Gaza, including the approval to send a Russian field hospital."

Putin, for his part, "reiterated Russia's support for the Palestinian people to achieve their freedom and independence in their independent Palestinian state … (with) international legitimacy," Wafa also said.

He stressed that contacts are ongoing to ensure the entry of the Russian field hospital into Gaza soon.

Since Oct. 7, the Israeli army has been waging a destructive war on Gaza, resulting so far in 20,057 deaths and 53,320 wounded, most of them children and women. This has caused immense damage to infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to Palestinian and international sources.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar