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Russia blames Israel airstrikes for triggering Gaza violence
Russia has blamed Israel for the latest round of violence in the Gaza Strip which left dozens of Palestinians killed and hundreds wounded.
At least 43 Palestinians, including 15 children, were killed in three days of intense Israeli bombardment targeting the besieged coastal enclave, which also resulted in heavy material damage.
Russia has also been widely condemned and heavily sanctioned for its invasion of Ukraine, which includes shelling and air strikes on cities.
"This round of escalation was triggered by the Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip on August 5," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
She said the Palestinian factions' retaliation was in response to Israeli airstrikes.
"We view these developments with deep concern. They could lead to a resumption of all-out military confrontation, and further deteriorate the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza," she added.
Zakharova stressed Russia's commitment to a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
How Russia is using the Jewish Agency to strong-arm Israel. @emadmoussa explains https://t.co/cAXyeOJBc4
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) August 4, 2022
Moscow's statements came at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and Russia.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said last month that Moscow's closing of Jewish Agency offices in Russia would be a "serious event" that strains bilateral relations.
The Jewish Agency facilitates the immigration of Jews from Russia and elsewhere to Israel but was assigned a 'foreign agent' status by Moscow authorities.
Some commentators said that the Russian government’s decision was in retaliation for Lapid taking a tougher stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine than his predecessor, Naftali Bennett.
Israel faced criticism from the US and its allies at the start of the invasion for taking a soft stance toward Russia.