Palestinian president to hold key talks on Gaza during visit to Russia

Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal has said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to visit Moscow from August 12-14, with plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 13.

"President Abbas will arrive on the evening of August 12. A meeting with President Putin is scheduled for August 13, and before that, Mahmoud Abbas will lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. The president will depart on August 14. There will also be a meeting with Arab ambassadors," he emphasized, Caliber.Az reports citing the Russian media.

The diplomat noted that the main topic of discussion will be the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The situation in Gaza will be addressed. We will discuss Russia's role and explore potential actions. Our situation is very dire, and Russia is a close ally. We need to consult with it," Nofal noted.

The latest escalation in the Middle East came in the wake of the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, in Tehran, and Fuad Shukr, a commander of the military wing of the Shiite group Hezbollah, in Beirut.

Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the recent events and vowed to respond. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has suggested that the assassination of Haniyeh could impact negotiations with Israel regarding the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip.