Israel has not yet secured the prerequisites for negotiations regarding the Palestinian situation, including the involvement of mediators and guarantors. This stance was conveyed by Israel’s ambassador to Russia, Alexander Ben Zvi, in remarks reported by TASS.
The ambassador responded to Turkey’s proposal to form a coalition of states that would serve as guarantors in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. He acknowledged that the idea has merit, but stressed that preliminary agreements are necessary before such a framework can be pursued.
Ben Zvi emphasized the need to determine two key questions first: who will participate in talks and what the scope of those talks will be, followed by how the process would be executed.
On 7 October, Hamas launched a large-scale assault, firing several thousand rockets into Israel and announcing the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Militants breached Israeli territory, seizing equipment and taking more than a hundred hostages. In response, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that the country is at war.
The Israel Defense Forces launched a military operation named Iron Swords, with the stated aim of eradicating Hamas forces. The Israeli Air Force conducted extensive strikes against hundreds of Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s National Security Council subsequently decided to cut off the supply of water, food, goods, electricity, and fuel to the Gaza Strip. On 13 October, Israel reported that the United Nations had warned that 1.1 million Palestinians should be evacuated to southern Gaza within 24 hours in advance of any ground action inside Gaza.
Earlier, Hamas stated that foreign hostages would be released “when conditions allow.”