Conflict-free potential: what Abbas will talk about with Putin on May 10
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on May 10. This was reported to Izvestia by its ambassador to the Russian Federation, Abdel Hafiz Nofal. According to him, the leaders' talks will focus on the situation in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and the West Bank, the ongoing Israeli attacks and the humanitarian situation. The diplomat noted: Moscow is sending important signals about the need for a two-State solution to the Middle East conflict. Ramallah hopes that the Palestinian issue will be raised in the context of Russian-American contacts.
What is happening in the Gaza Strip now
Mahmoud Abbas will visit Moscow to participate in the Victory Day celebrations. According to the Palestinian ambassador to Russia, Abdel Hafiz Nofal, the president will arrive in Russia on May 8, and on the evening of the 10th he will hold bilateral talks with the Russian leader. The key topic of the meeting with Vladimir Putin will be the discussion of the situation in the Palestinian territories and the prospects for a political settlement of the Middle East conflict.
According to the ambassador, the Palestinian side intends to raise the issue of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza caused by the blockade and Israeli military actions. The last meeting of the two leaders took place in October 2024 during the BRICS summit in Kazan. Then Abbas and Putin also discussed the events in the exclave.
"The leaders will discuss practical issues, in particular the ongoing Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, the lack of a cease—fire and the prevention of the import of humanitarian aid," Abdel Hafiz Nofal stressed.
He noted that the lack of supplies is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, threatening catastrophic consequences for the civilian population.
— This is a vital issue for us. For two months now, more than 2 million residents of the Gaza Strip have been denied access to humanitarian aid. They need from 500 to 700 trucks with food and medicines every day, but not a single one has been allowed in during this time," the head of the diplomatic mission noted.
The Palestinian ambassador spoke separately about the situation in the West Bank and Jerusalem. According to him, Israeli settlers are carrying out mass attacks on Palestinian villages and neighborhoods.
"This issue will also be on the agenda of our talks with the Russian side," he added.
The role of the Russian Federation in resolving the crisis in the Middle East
The leaders intend to touch upon issues of political settlement. As Nofal noted, Moscow traditionally supports the decision to create two states — Israel and Palestine — based on UN resolutions.
"Russia has been and remains one of the few countries that consistently advocate the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital," the diplomat recalled.
He noted that the Russian Federation still refuses to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, linking this issue with the creation of a Palestinian state. According to Nofal, the meeting of the presidents is of particular importance against the background of the ongoing escalation and growing pressure on the Palestinian people.
— We are going through extraordinary and very difficult times. Israel's unilateral aggression has been going on for more than nineteen months, and they are receiving full support from the United States and Western countries," the ambassador said.
According to the head of the diplomatic mission, special attention at the meeting between Abbas and Putin will be paid to the upcoming UN Security Council conference in June. At the initiative of Saudi Arabia and France, it is planned to discuss the issue of recognizing the two-state solution at the international level.
"In the context of Russian—American relations, it is extremely important to raise the Palestinian issue in all its aspects during a bilateral meeting attended by President Putin and President Trump," the diplomat added.
Deals to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
According to the Palestinian Committee against the Separation Wall and the Construction of Jewish settlements, in the first three months of 2025 alone, Israelis carried out 860 attacks on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank. We are talking about large-scale acts of violence: the storming of towns and villages, the destruction of property, and the seizure of land.
In addition, the Israeli authorities began to destroy Palestinian buildings more often. According to the same agency, 58 demolition operations were recorded in March 2025. Most of the damage occurred in the province of Tulkarm, where 13 facilities were demolished. Eight buildings were demolished in Jerusalem, seven in Nablus and the same number in Jenin.
The situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. According to the Haaretz newspaper, the Israeli army has begun expanding the so—called buffer zone, a territory that should be neutral or demilitarized in conflict conditions, but is actually controlled by Israeli troops. It will soon cover about 75 square kilometers, which is about a fifth of the entire territory of the Gaza Strip, including the strategically important city of Rafah. This will significantly narrow the area available for living and doing business.
Amid the ongoing escalation, diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Gaza have intensified. Qatar, Egypt and the United States are negotiating, trying to reach an agreement that will end the war and ensure the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
According to media reports, a Hamas delegation that visited Cairo this week conveyed an offer to the mediators. According to this plan, a comprehensive deal is expected to be concluded: the simultaneous release of all living prisoners and the transfer of the remains of the dead in exchange for a complete cessation of hostilities and the complete Israeli withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip. The Hamas initiative also includes the establishment of a five-year truce, during which all restrictions on the process of rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure of Gaza should be lifted.
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