Putin says Israel actions in Gaza 'some kind of total destruction of civilian population'

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday hailed Turkiye’s significant efforts to resolve the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians since 7 October and left most civilians homeless and at risk of famine, Anadolu Agency reports.

“What is happening now in Gaza … does not really look like a war, it is some kind of total destruction of the civilian population,” Putin told the heads of leading global news agencies, including Anadolu, at the Lakhta Centre as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Asked by Anadolu whether Russia had any plans to take any initiatives within the UN Security Council regarding the ongoing Israeli onslaught, Putin said: “The first thing I want to say is, of course, we are against terrorism in all its manifestations, against attacks against civilians – at any place and in any country. But what is happening now in Gaza in response to the well-known terrorist act in Israel does not really look like a war; it is some kind of total destruction of the civilian population.”

He stressed that the US is to blame for what is happening in the blockaded enclave.

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“We believe this is a result of US policy. They monopolised the peace process. They pushed aside all previously established mechanisms for collective efforts to solve this extremely difficult problem,” he said.

Indicating that the US administration might have approached the Gaza issue with “fewer views, a faster solution,” Putin said: “However, in practice, this was not the case. It is not possible to solve the problem with some material offerings. The real issue, political matters, need to be resolved. This involves creating two states, as foreseen in the UN’s decision to establish two states in this territory – a Palestinian State and a Jewish State.”

Putin emphasized that it is not possible to resolve the situation without addressing the fundamental issues.

“We have long recognised the Palestinian State since the Soviet Union era. Our approach in this regard has not changed,” he said.

Highlighting the steps taken by Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to resolve the conflict, Putin said: “We know that President Erdogan has made vigorous efforts to solve this very urgent and long-standing issue. Considering President Erdogan’s authority in the region, the world, and the Islamic world, we expect his contribution to be noticeable. For our part, taking into account our long-standing relations with Israel, we are ready to do everything Russia can to resolve this situation.”

Turkiye is the largest aid donor to Gaza since the conflict broke out eight months ago, and has suspended all commercial ties with Israel, urging it to agree to a ceasefire.

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