Russia urges 'peace' between Hamas and Israel based on 'existing internationally recognized agreements'

• Israel declared a state of war after Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks on Saturday.
• Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, called for "peace" between Israel and Hamas based on "recognized agreements."

Israel has declared a state of war after Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

Palestinian fighters poured into southern Israel by land, sea, and air, the Israeli Defense Forces said. Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif said his forces launched 5,000 rockets toward Israel on Saturday, Insider reported.

In response, a Russian defense official urged peace between Israel and Hamas.

"We urge to immediately start a peace process on the basis of existing internationally recognized agreements," Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to Israel and Egypt, told state media agency Tass on Saturday.

Bogdanov also told Tass that Russian officials have been in touch with all parties involved in the conflict, including unspecified Arab countries.

Bogdanov's diplomatic effort comes nearly 600 days after Russia invaded and occupied parts of Ukraine and almost a decade after its illegal annexation of Crimea.