MOSCOW, Nov 5. In the last two days, Israel has stepped up its strikes using white phosphorus, which caused fires and clouds of toxic gases, said Palestinian Interior Ministry spokesman Iyad Al-Bazm on the department's Telegram channel.
“Over the past 48 hours, the occupiers (Israel – ed.) have stepped up the use of internationally banned white phosphorus bombs, and last night the highest levels of phosphorus were recorded in the al-Shati camp, causing the formation of clouds of toxic gases and outbreaks fires,” the statement said.
Earlier, Palestine's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Ibrahim Kraishi, told reporters that Israel used ammunition with white phosphorus during attacks on the Gaza Strip.
On 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. After this, the organization’s fighters entered the border areas in southern Israel, where they opened fire on both military and civilians, and also took more than 200 hostages. In Israel, according to local authorities, more than 1.4 thousand people were killed, including 300 military personnel, and more than 5 thousand were injured.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days, the Israeli military took control of all populated areas near the border with Gaza and began carrying out 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 stopped.
The number of victims in the Gaza Strip exceeded 9.7 thousand people, more than 24.8 thousand were injured. The Russian Embassy reported that during the escalation of the conflict, 20 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 only 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 the 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.