Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a lengthy telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, today, Sunday, expressed his dissatisfaction with Russia’s position on the war launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip, according to a statement issued by Netanyahu’s office.

On the other hand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that the Hamas attack on October 7 does not justify Israel's punishment of the Palestinians.

Netanyahu left his cabinet meeting to speak with Putin for 50 minutes. This is their first conversation since last October 17, that is, ten days after the start of the war on Gaza.

According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the latter “expressed his dissatisfaction with the positions expressed by Russian delegates to the United Nations and other international bodies,” and that he criticized the “dangerous cooperation” between Russia and Iran.”

Netanyahu claimed that any country subjected to an attack like the one Israel was subjected to on October 7 would act with force no less than that exercised by Israel against the Gaza Strip, where the vast majority of victims are civilians.

Netanyahu told Putin, "Israel will not stop until it eliminates Hamas's military and authoritarian capabilities."

For his part, Lavrov indicated that it is unacceptable for Israel to use the attack launched by Hamas, on October 7, as a justification for collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and called for international monitoring on the ground in Gaza.

Putin has repeatedly blamed the war on Gaza on the failure of American diplomacy in the Middle East for years, while aiming to make Russia an important player with relations with all major actors in the region.

At the end of last October, Putin held the West responsible for the crisis in the Gaza Strip, as Israel is waging a war on Gaza, and accused the United States of wanting to spread chaos in the Middle East.