Russia calls for the immediate ceasefire of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which resulted in grave casualties in recent days, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its official website on Sunday.

"The swiftest possible ceasefire, including no Palestinian attacks on Israel and no Israeli incursions into the Palestinian territories is the only way out of the existing situation. This should be the first step to the normalization of the situation and to the beginning of the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue," the ministry said.

"Because combat is occurring in densely populated districts, primarily in the Gaza Strip, more and more civilians have become victims of the conflict. November 3 was the bloodiest day. Over 20 Palestinians, including a child and two women, died in an operation aimed at preventing Qassam rocket attacks on Israeli territory," it said.

"The possibility of further escalation is increasing, and if the new wave of the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation is not stopped, the situation may spin out of control and grow into large- scale clashes, whose consequences will be very grave for Israelis, Palestinians and the region in general," the statement said.

Israeli army has intensified its ground and air offensive on the Gaza Strip by launching an operation code-named "Autumn Clouds " since Nov. 1, killing 48 Palestinians and wounding more than 200 others so far.

Israeli military said the aim of the offensive is to prevent Palestinian militants from launching homemade rockets from the Gaza Strip at Israel.

Source: Xinhua