Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump's proposals to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip bring hope for resolving the Middle East crisis.
"We are now becoming more familiar with President Trump's initiatives, and it seems to me that there may be some light at the end of the tunnel," Putin said at the Valdai International Discussion Club.
He added that traditional Western unilateral diplomacy, which "ignores the history, traditions, identity, and culture of the peoples living there," will not bring peace to the region.
Putin suggested that handing control of Gaza to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would be the preferable option.
He said Trump's proposal to free all hostages held in Gaza and secure the release of Palestinians from prisons deserved support.
He also stressed the importance of understanding how Palestinians themselves view Trump's initiatives for resolving the crisis.
Trump's 20-point plan includes the release of all Israeli hostages, the disbanding of Hamas, the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the transfer of the enclave's control to an interim administration led by Palestinian technocrats and international experts.
