MOSCOW

Uzbekistan has allocated funds to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, to provide humanitarian assistance to the population of Gaza Strip, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said on Friday.

Speaking at the 10th leaders' summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, Mirziyoyev urged Israel and Hamas to a cease fire.

The only and most just solution to this problem should be adopted on the basis of the principle of "two states for two peoples," he stressed.

"As defined in UN resolutions, the people of Palestine have the right to establish an independent state. Within the framework of our organization (OTS), we must announce to the whole world our unanimous principled position on this issue."

Israel has bombarded Gaza since the Oct. 7 surprise cross border attack by Palestinian group Hamas, and recently expanded the military campaign with ground invasion. There have been widespread calls for a cease-fire, but all have been ignored by Tel Aviv.

Besides casualties and displacement, Gaza's 2.3 million residents are grappling with shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicine due to Israel's blockade of the enclave.

Turning to OTS issues, the president underlined the importance of more intensive efforts toward the establishment of the Research Center for Trade Cooperation of the Turkic States and Turkic Development Bank, noting that Uzbek capital Tashkent is ready to host the financial institution.

Mirziyoyev emphasized importance of Afghanistan's involvement into regional cooperation, saying it will contribute to the country's internal stabilization.

The construction of the TransAfghan railroad supports this objective, he said.

"We call for the development of specific mechanisms aimed at preventing the weakening of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, solving acute social problems in this country. ... We need a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, actively participating in the processes of regional partnership and economic cooperation with all neighbors," he said.