Notably, during this call, Putin made critical remarks about Israel, drawing an indirect comparison between Israel and the German army during World War II, a statement reported by The Times of Israel. While Russia, deeply embroiled in its own year-and-a-half-long aggressive campaign against Ukraine, has faced widespread international condemnation for the heavy toll on civilian lives and casualties among its soldiers, Putin cautioned Israel against launching a ground operation in Gaza. In addition to his conversation with Netanyahu, Putin also engaged with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is set to visit Moscow in the near future.