People stand on a platform overlooking ruins at the archaeological site of the Saint Hilarion Monastery in Tell Umm al-Amr close to Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday. The Saint Hilarion complex, one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, has been put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in danger due to the war in Gaza, the body said on July 26, 2024 —AFP MOSCOW, Aug 11 (AFP): Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas will visit Moscow next week to discuss the Gaza war with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Palestinian envoy said.
Russia's state-run TASS news agency cited the Palestinian ambassador in Moscow as saying Abbas will arrive on Monday and meet Putin on Tuesday.
Abbas heads the Fatah Palestinian movement, a rival to Hamas.
Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Nofal said the two leaders would discuss events in Gaza since the October 7 attacks on Israel. "They will talk about Russia's role, what can be done."
Moscow for years tried to balance relations with all major players in the Middle East-including Israel and the Palestinians.
But since the Israel-Hamas war and Russia's own offensive on Ukraine, Putin has moved closer to Israel's foes, Hamas and Iran.
The Kremlin has repeatedly criticised Israel's response to the October 7 attacks and called for restraint.
Gaza war death
toll hitt 39,790
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Saturday that at least 39,790 people have been killed in the war between Israel and Palestinians, now in its 11th month.
The toll includes 91 deaths in the previous 48 hours, according to ministry figures which do not appear to include Saturday's pre-dawn Israeli strike on a school housing displaced people in Gaza City, which killed 93 people according to Gaza's civil defence agency.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
