Russian President Vladimir Putin today called for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, deeming this “necessary” to avoid an “expansion of the conflict”, which would have consequences around the world.

“It is necessary to work on diplomacy rather than the military aspect and seek solutions in order to stop the fighting, and as soon as possible“, he said, referring to the conflict that erupted after Hamas’s bloody attack on Israel on Saturday.

“Second, we must return to the negotiation process, which must be acceptable to all parties, including the Palestinians“, the Russian president added, according to his statements broadcast on television.

He also estimated that “navoid the extension of the conflict at all costs, because if this happens, it will have consequences in the international situation and not only in the region“.

He said Russia, which is a member of the Middle East Quartet along with the United States, the European Union and the UN — which was formed to play a mediating role — could “to have its own contribution to this settlement process“.

However, Putin deemed the situation so serious that it is “difficult to help the settlement process“.

Yesterday, Vladimir Putin stated that he is “necessary“the creation of a”independent and sovereign” of a Palestinian state.

He also said that the conflict is “clear example of the failure of United States policy in the Middle East“.

Israel today continued its devastating raids on the Palestinian territory of Gaza, where Hamas has been in power since 2007.

The Israeli army announced an “impressive” death toll of 1,200 in Israel, most of them unarmed civilians, while in Gaza the death toll stood at 1,055, according to local authorities.