Russia says Israeli nuclear strike on Gaza remark raises 'huge number of questions'

Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that a remark by an Israeli junior minister who appeared to express openness to the idea of Israel carrying out a nuclear strike on Gaza had raised a huge number of questions.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday suspended Heritage Minister Amihay Eliyahu, from a far-right party in the coalition government, from cabinet meetings "until further notice".

Asked in a radio interview about a hypothetical nuclear option, Eliyahu had replied: "That's one way."

"This has raised a huge number of questions," Maria Zakharova, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman, was quoted as saying by state RIA news agency.

Zakharova said the main issue was that Israel appeared to have admitted that it had nuclear weapons.

Israel does not publicly acknowledge it has nuclear weapons though the Federation of American Scientists estimates Israel has about 90 nuclear warheads.

"Question number one - it turns out that we are hearing official statements about the presence of nuclear weapons?" Zakharova said.

If so, she said, then where are the International Atomic Energy Agency and international nuclear inspectors?

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