Lavrov slams statements about kids killed in Gaza

MOSCOW, May 17, 2018 (BSS/TASS)- Statements claiming that people recently killed in Gaza, including children, were terrorists, are outrageous, Russia's Acting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"I cannot agree with statements saying that dozens of civilians, including babies, who were killed during these incidents, were terrorists," he said.

"I believe these outrageous statements are aimed at avoiding an honest conversation," Lavrov added.

The Russian top diplomat stated that Moscow was ready to fully facilitate dialogue between Palestine and Israel on the Jerusalem issue.

According to him, it cannot be resolved unilaterally so there is the need for discussion. "Direct dialogue between Palestinian and Israeli leaders needs to be established in order to find a solution," Lavrov added.

The May 14 opening ceremony of the new US embassy in Jerusalem sparked mass protests among Palestinians and caused clashes on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which killed over 60 Palestinians and left around 3,000 injured.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the key issues concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Israel, who seized the eastern part of the city during the 1967 war, insists that Jerusalem is the single and indivisible capital of the country, while Palestinians wish to make the eastern part of the city the capital of their state.