Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov affirmed to a ministerial committee of Arab and Islamic states Monday that the current priority lies in achieving a ceasefire and delivering aid to the Gaza Strip.

Addressing the ministerial committee appointed by the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit, chaired by Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and including the foreign ministers of Palestine, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia, Lavrov praised Qatari meditation for a potential captive exchange deal, stating that “friends in Qatar are effectively working to release the captives.”

"Russia calls for an immediate start of preparations to resume negotiations on establishing the Palestinian state,” Lavrov added, in addition to condemning “all forms of terrorism that violate international law.”

Lavrov emphasized that the 'Quartet on the Middle East' does not include any representatives from the Arab world, citing this as the reason for its failure in performing its tasks; as he stressed the necessity of representing the region's countries in the mechanisms introduced for resolving the Palestinian conflict.

Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, chairman of the Ministerial committee, stated that the massacres committed by the Israeli Occupation in Gaza must immediately halt, and there can be no discussion about the future of the Gaza Strip until the current aggression stops.