Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a rare phone call on Saturday. Both sides confirmed the conversation in a joint statement. The leaders mainly discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip.

They spent significant time reviewing the ceasefire deal. The agreement was brokered by US President Donald Trump. They also talked about the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, they examined Iran’s nuclear program and the next steps for stabilising Syria.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said Putin requested the call. The Kremlin described the conversation as “a thorough exchange of views.”

Talks Continue From Previous Month

This discussion was not their first on the issue. They spoke last month about the same regional developments. At that time, Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s stance “in favour of a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue.”

Their earlier call also covered Syria and Iran. Before that, they spoke in August. Reports in Israeli media suggested Netanyahu’s office had been coordinating with Russia on several issues.

These included tensions between the United States and Russia over the war in Ukraine. The latest phone call also took place shortly after Russia submitted its own UN resolution on Gaza. That move challenged Washington’s attempt to pass a competing proposal supporting the US-brokered Gaza deal.

Russia’s UN Counterproposal

According to Reuters, Russia told UN Security Council members that its “counter-proposal is inspired by the US draft.” The note said, “The objective of our draft is to enable the Security Council to develop a balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities.”

The Russian draft, obtained by Reuters, asked the UN Secretary-General to explore options for an international stabilisation force for Gaza. However, it did not mention the “Board of Peace,” a transitional body that the United States wants to introduce for Gaza.