Russian President Vladimir Putin said that what is happening in the Gaza Strip at the hands of Israeli forces is a catastrophe.
“What is going on (in the Gaza Strip) is certainly a catastrophe,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at the combined Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference, the Russian news agency TASS reported.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, has equated the situation in the Gaza Strip to the siege of Leningrad during World War II.https://t.co/zgh1KHYEN1 pic.twitter.com/bXr7RzvsjK
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 13, 2023
Speaking of thousands of women and children being killed in Gaza by Israeli forces, the Russian president reiterated that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “called the present-day Gaza Strip the world’s largest graveyard for children.”
“This assessment is extremely telling. This is an objective assessment, there is nothing to add,” Putin concurred.
“Look at the special military operation (in Ukraine) and what is happening in Gaza and feel the difference. There is nothing like this in Ukraine,” Putin also said.
🚨PALESTINE CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT:
🔴Israeli artillery continues to target Deir al-Balah.
🔴Israeli aircraft launched raids on Jabaliya and the neighborhoods of Al-Daraj, Al-Zaytoun and Shejaiya.
🔴Israeli aircraft renews its targeting of Khan Yunis.
🔻Clashes between the… pic.twitter.com/PMmB90pvnl
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 14, 2023
Putin also said that Russia wanted to set up a field hospital in Gaza but that Israel did not allow it.
“When I visited the United Arab Emirates I found out they have set up a field hospital there in Gaza, near the Rafah checkpoint… and we talked about the possibility of Russia setting up a hospital in the same location, at a stadium, but that would of course require approval from both Egypt and Israel,” Putin was quoted as saying by Reuters News agency.
“I have spoken to the Egyptian president, he supports this idea. I have spoken to (Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu, they have discussed this between various agencies, and the Israeli side does not support this,” he added.
“(Israelis) believe setting up a Russian hospital in Gaza would be unsafe, but this does not mean we will cease those efforts.”
🚨GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: 18,787 Palestinians have been killed and more than 50,897 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG:https://t.co/EaxiGdhYfF pic.twitter.com/0mCLfr8Lfr
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 14, 2023
Moscow has maintained a clear position demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 18,787 Palestinians have been killed and more than 50,897 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7. Palestinian and international estimates say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
(PC, TASS)
