Russian, Jordanian foreign ministers call for cease-fire in Gaza

Russia and Jordan's foreign ministers called for a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine during a phone call Tuesday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Sergey Lavrov and Ayman Safadi exchanged opinions on recent developments in the Middle East and emphasized the need for speedy de-escalation in the region.

"Both Moscow and Amman urge all parties involved to exercise restraint in order to avoid catastrophic consequences for the entire Middle East," it said.

The two top diplomats agreed to stay in touch and continue efforts aimed at easing tensions in the region, it said.

In a separate statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that further escalation in the Middle East may lead to a major war.

"The probability of such a dramatic scenario is high," she said.

Fears have grown over a full-blown war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught against Gaza which has killed more than 39,600 people since last October following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.