Russia delivers 27 tonnes of food supplies for people in Gaza

Moscow [Russia], October 20 (ANI): Russia has delivered 27 tonnes of food supplies for civilians in the Gaza Strip set to be transferred from Egypt, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

Taking to X, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “27 tonnes of food supplies delivered by Russia’s EMERCOM and transferred to the Egyptian Red Crescent for distribution among the people of the Gaza Strip in need. Every bit helps.”

Russia’s Deputy Minister Ilya Denisov in a statement said, “A special plane has taken off from the airport at Ramenskoye near Moscow for El-Arish in Egypt. The Russian humanitarian aid will be handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent to be sent to the Gaza Strip.” He added the aid comprised “wheat, sugar, rice (and) pasta.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the office of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared details of his telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the former briefed him on the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas, following the October 7 terror attacks.

It posted further that Israeli PM Netanyahu told the Russian President that the Israeli forces won’t relent till they “eliminate Hamas”.

“The Prime Minister made it clear that Israel had been attacked by brutal and abhorrent murderers, had gone to war determined and united, and would not stop until it had destroyed Hamas’s military and governing capabilities,” the Israeli PM’s office posted further.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during their telephone conversation, Putin highlighted the measures Russia is taking to stop the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip from escalating further.”President of Russia Vladimir #Putin spoke with Prime Minister of the State of Israel @netanyahu over the phone,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia posted on X.

“President Putin laid out the steps being taken by Russia to prevent the further escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip,” it added.

Moscow said the conversation was centred on “the crisis situation resulting from the brutal escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.” The Israeli side was in particular informed of the essential points of telephone correspondences that took place today with the leaders of Palestine, Egypt, Iran and Syria,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Russian President also expressed “his sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased Israelis”, the Kremlin said. Along with that, he informed the Israeli leader of the measures taken by Russia to “promote the normalisation of the situation, prevent a further escalation of violence, and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip”.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen and 22 ambassadors and diplomats from countries whose citizens have been abducted have called for the immediate release of the abductees and to permit visits by the International Red Cross. Cohen said the release of the abductees is Israel’s “foremost priority.”

Cohen held a meeting with dozens of foreign ambassadors whose citizens have been held by Hamas in Gaza and asked to pressurise Hamas to ensure their smooth release.

Taking to X, Cohen reposted Israel Hebrew’s statement on X stating, “We demand that the international organizations and the Red Cross reach out to the abductees in order to verify their condition and the conditions in which they are being held.”

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs @elicoh1 together with 22 ambassadors and diplomats from countries that have abductees, calling for the immediate release of the abductees and to allow visits by the Red Cross. The meeting was attended by ambassadors from Tanzania, Russia, Romania, Portugal, Peru, Serbia, Colombia, Austria, Ethiopia, Argentina, Philippines, Georgia, Sri Lanka, France, Mexico, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Thailand, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland and the European Union,” he added.