A variable geometry policy

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday said it was not acceptable for Israel to use Hamas' terror attack on Oct. 7 as justification for the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and called for international monitoring on the ground in Gaza.

Israeli tanks battled their way to the centre of Khan Younis on Sunday in a major new push into the heart of the main city in the southern Gaza Strip.

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly blamed the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas on the failure of years of U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East, while aiming to position Russia as an important player with ties to all the major actors in the region.

Russia does not recommend the same precautions during its bombings without protective gear in Ukraine and Syria.