Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday called for the immediate end of violence in Gaza and urged for the resumption of truce during a phone talk with his Israeli counterpart Tzipora Livni, local media reported.
"The Russian minister stressed the need for renewed truce, which would ensure security of civilians in southern Israel. The importance of humanitarian supplies to Gaza was emphasized," Itar-Tass cited a Foreign Ministry statement as saying.
Russia will keep working on the end of bloodshed and armed confrontation in the Middle East together with regional countries, Lavrov was quoted as saying.
"They agreed on the need for the soonest termination of violence, which had resulted in numerous casualties and sufferings of Palestinian civilians, and for the quickest restoration of truce," the ministry said.
Israel kicked off large-scale air strikes against Gaza on Saturday and continued its military actions against the coastal strip on Sunday.
At least 285 Palestinians have so far been killed in the powerful offensive which Israel said was aimed at halting nearly daily cross-border rocket attacks by Palestinian militants. Source:Xinhua
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