CAIRO, Oct 21 There can be no stability in the Middle East without ensuring the rights of the Palestinian people, said King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain during the summit on the Palestinian issue in Cairo.
The Cairo Summit for Peace is being held on Saturday in the Egyptian capital Cairo with the participation of more than 30 states and a number of international and regional organizations.
““There will be no stability in the Middle East without ensuring the rights of the Palestinian people,” said the Bahraini monarch.
On the morning of October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. In addition, after massive rocket attacks, the organization’s fighters penetrated into the border areas in southern Israel. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within days of the attack, the Israeli military took control of all settlements near the Gaza border and began conducting air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was suspended.
The number of victims in the Gaza Strip reached 4,137 people, over 13 thousand were injured. In Israel, according to local authorities, more than 1,300 people were killed. The Russian Embassy reported that during the escalation of the conflict, 19 Russians were killed, two were taken hostage, and seven were listed as missing.
According to various sources, about 150 Israelis may be held captive by Hamas. The movement itself stated that there are about 200-250 prisoners in the Gaza Strip.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the settlement of the Middle East crisis is possible exclusively on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict related to territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created. Israel, while declaring agreement with the two-state principle, did not completely liberate the Palestinian territories.