By Staff, Agencies

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has voiced support for the Gaza peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, describing it as the “best available option” to halt the ongoing bloodshed — provided it is accepted by the Palestinian side.

The 20-point plan, unveiled by the White House last month, calls for an immediate ceasefire, the exchange of all “Israeli” captives held by the Palestinian Resistance for Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of “Israeli” occupation forces from the Gaza Strip.

The proposal envisions transforming Gaza into a so-called “deradicalized, terror-free zone,” excluding Hamas from governance — a clause that has drawn skepticism from many observers.

Lavrov acknowledged that the plan is far from ideal, noting that it sidesteps the fundamental issue of Palestinian statehood — the core of the decades-long conflict — and focuses narrowly on Gaza.
“We are realists. We understand that it is the best option currently on the table,” Lavrov said in an interview published by Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. He added that the plan “appears to be a reasonable compromise that could be accepted, or at least not outright rejected, by all parties”.

“The plan is realistic if the Palestinians accept it,” he continued, emphasizing that Moscow “wishes success” to the Turkish, Egyptian, Qatari, US, and “Israeli” negotiators currently engaged in talks over its implementation.

Lavrov affirmed that Russia stands ready to assist the process in any capacity needed, including contributing to efforts toward the creation of a Palestinian state. “The most important thing now is to stop the bloodshed,” he said. “In that sense, Trump’s plan gives hope”.

The proposal has reportedly been welcomed by the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, describing Trump’s move as a “sincere and determined effort” to bring peace to Gaza and expressing readiness to cooperate with Washington to restore regional stability.

According to “Israeli” sources, the entity temporarily halted its ground offensive on Gaza City after the plan’s release, as indirect talks over a prisoner exchange between Hamas and “Israel” gained momentum. The entity’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that both sides were preparing for an exchange of “Israeli” captives and Palestinian detainees under the framework of the US-backed initiative.

For Moscow, support for the plan reflects a pragmatic stance focused on ending the catastrophic humanitarian crisis that has ravaged Gaza for over two years under a relentless, US-armed “Israeli” war of extermination — one that has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and the enclave in ruins.