Putin says 'no peace in the region without the establishment of a Palestinian state'

During Russia’s flagship annual economic forum in St Petersburg, which marked the first time that President Vladimir Putin took questions from international journalists since his inauguration, Putin condemned the war in Gaza as a "total destruction of the civilian population".

Meanwhile, Israel's military pounded central Gaza with heavy air strikes on Wednesday.

The Russian president also said that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without the creation of an independent state of Palestine and that Moscow is ready to help resolve the crisis in Gaza.