RIGA, Aug 28 (LETA) - Latvia supports Israel's right to defend itself, but condemns the decision of Israeli government to scale-up its military operation in Gaza Strip, President Edgars Rinkevics said during a meeting with Palestinian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Aghabekian at his Jurmala residence on Thursday.

The meeting focused on relations between Latvia and Palestinian Authority, situation in the Middle East and Russian aggression against Ukraine, the President's Chancery informed LETA.

Rinkevics stressed the importance of solving humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "We must do our best to prevent civilian casualties. Ceasefire in Gaza must be restored, hostages captured by Hamas released and full scope of humanitarian aid must be provided to Palestine's civilian population," he underlined.

Rinkevics also pointed out that to stabilize the situation in the region and achieve the implementation of two-state solution, Hamas terrorists would have to release all hostages held by them and dissolve the terrorist organization. He confirmed Latvia's support for closer dialog between the European Union and Palestine, which should lead to more efficient response to needs of Palestinians, more sustainable growth and stronger democracy.

The president also reiterated the importance of supporting Ukraine, which is currently fighting against Russian aggression. "Russian aggression against Ukraine has direct impact on our key security priorities. For the past four years, our key priority was to build resilience against Russia and its threats," he said.

In the attacks on October 7, 2023, Hamas and other militant groups killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and took hostage more than 250 people to the Gaza Strip.

Israel has been conducting a military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip for nearly two years. While the efforts to destroy Hamas are justified in the West, Israel has also been criticized by several politicians for excessive civilian casualties and insufficient efforts to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. For example, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the end of July that Britain would recognize a Palestinian state if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire and other conditions to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.