MOSCOW, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Saturday urged Israel to "immediately stop" its military actions in Gaza Strip, and Hamas to halt shelling Israeli territory.

    "Moscow believes it is necessary (for Israel) to immediately stop the large-scale military operation against Gaza Strip," Itar-Tass and Interfax quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.

    Israel carried out heavy air raids over the Gaza City over the weekend. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed and some 750 injured in the Israeli blitz, according to Palestinian sources.

    Israel, however, said that it will take further military actions to stop the continuing artillery attacks from the Hamas-ruled enclave.

    "At the same time, we are urging the leadership of Hamas to stop missile strikes upon Israeli territory," said the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko.

    Israel and Gaza militant groups had generally observed an Egypt-brokered truce deal for five months before clashes resumed in early November.

    As Gaza militants pummeled southern Israel on a nearly daily basis, Israeli officials have warned that they would take decisive moves to restore security in the south.