Russia urges Israel for Gaza ceasefire to allow in food, medical aid

The Russian foreign ministry said Bogdanov and Al-Sheikh had agreed on the need for a ceasefire and for the opening of human corridors.

Russia's foreign ministry urged Israel on Thursday to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza to allow in food and medicine and said it was unacceptable that what it called the "indiscriminate" bombing of the Gaza Strip was causing so many civilian casualties.

A convoy of Israeli tanks advances near the border with Gaza (AFP)

Moscow issued the statement after Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov spoke to Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), by phone.

Israel said earlier on Thursday there would be no humanitarian exceptions to its siege of the Gaza Strip until all its hostages were freed, after the Red Cross pleaded for fuel to be allowed in to prevent overwhelmed hospitals from "turning into morgues".

The Russian foreign ministry said Bogdanov and Al-Sheikh had agreed on the need for a ceasefire and for the opening of human corridors to deliver food and medicine to Gaza's population.

Both also agreed that water and electricity supplies to Gaza should be restored, it said.

"The unacceptability of the indiscriminate bombardment leading to numerous civilian casualties was emphasised," the Russian statement said.

In a second statement later on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry said that four Russian citizens had been killed in southern Israel which Hamas attacked on Saturday, slaughtering hundreds of civilians. A further six Russian citizens were still missing, the ministry said.

"We strongly condemn any manifestations of extremism, terrorism, hostage-taking, blockading people, deliberately creating unbearable living conditions and other violent acts against civilians, along with the indiscriminate use of force in the conduct of military operations," the same statement said.