{"id":120530,"date":"2023-10-30T07:09:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T07:09:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yourclomid.com\/?p=120530"},"modified":"2023-10-30T07:09:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T07:09:06","slug":"russia-skewered-over-israel-hamas-war-pr-stunt-as-hypocrisy-is-exposed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yourclomid.com\/politics\/russia-skewered-over-israel-hamas-war-pr-stunt-as-hypocrisy-is-exposed\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia skewered over Israel-Hamas war PR stunt as hypocrisy is exposed"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Russia has been accused of shameless hypocrisy after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov branded Israel\u2019s military operation in Gaza a \u201cbreach of international law\u201d, in the wake of Vladimir Putin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine last year.<\/p>\n

Lavrov made his remarks in an interview yesterday with Belarusian state news agency Belta, during which he outlined his concerns about the escalating conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

Referring to the Hamas attack on October 7, Lavrov, a close Putin ally, said: \u201cWhile we condemn terrorism, we categorically disagree that you can respond to terrorism by violating the norms of international humanitarian law, including indiscriminately using force against targets where civilians are known to be present, including hostages that have been taken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lavrov also called for a ceasefire in order to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza – but for Alicia Kearns MP, chairman of Parliament\u2019s Foreign Affairs committee, his words rang hollow, given Russia\u2019s \u201cspecial military operation\u201d.<\/p>\n

She told Express.co.uk: \u201cRussia is playing a cynical game.<\/p>\n

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\u201cGuilty of egregious war crimes, they voted against a humanitarian pause at the UN Security Council earlier this week, vetoing alongside China what was otherwise a unanimous agreement for a pause in fighting to let aid in.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir efforts are nothing more than a PR stunt for them – they murdered more Ukrainians as they made this statement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Referring specifically to the events of February 24, 2022 and everything which had happened since, Ms Kearns claimed this was a \u201cflagrant breach of international law\u201d itself – as highlighted by many at the tie.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cIt was not self-defence or any of the nonsense they try and fail to claim.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A total of eight Russian citizens are believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas gunmen during the attacks earlier this month.<\/p>\n

Speaking on state-controlled news channel Rossiya-1 yesterday, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: \u201cWe are doing our best on all the tracks.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, this is political work in international formats, in the United Nations, to lobby the most important thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cNamely, to cease fire, stop violence, to achieve what is generally called de-escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n