Vladimir Putin says strike on Gaza hospital ‘terrible’, calls for negotiations

"As for the strike on the hospital, the tragedy that happened there is a terrible event," Vladimir Putin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that a strike on a hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of Palestinians was a terrible catastrophe that showed the conflict should be ended.

Russian president Vladimir Putin looks on. (AP)

"As for the strike on the hospital, the tragedy that happened there is a terrible event," Putin said after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. "Hundreds of dead and hundreds of wounded are of course a catastrophe."

“I really hope this will be a signal that we need to end this conflict as soon as possible. In any case, we need to focus on the possibility of starting some contacts and negotiations.”