Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has also condemned the killing of civilians in Bucha but stopped short of accusing Russian forces of responsibility.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid condemned what he called Russia’s “war crimes” in Ukraine.

“Once again, a large and powerful country has invaded a smaller neighbor without any justification. Once again, the ground is soaked with the blood of innocent civilians,” Lapid declared during a visit in Athens.

He spoke alongside his Cypriot and Greek counterparts.

The discovery of slain civilians, many of them bound, after the withdrawal of Russian forces from city of Bucha, near Kyiv, has stirred a global outcry. The Ukrainian authorities deemed them evidence of genocide. Moscow has denied responsibility and accused Ukraine of trying to smear it.

“The images and testimony from Ukraine are horrific. Russian forces committed war crimes against a defenseless civilian population. I strongly condemn these war crimes,” Lapid said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has also condemned the killing of civilians in Bucha but stopped short of accusing Russian forces of responsibility.

Israel has been restrained in its criticism of Russia during the Ukraine crisis, citing Bennett’s efforts to broker peace. Israel also wants to keep channels open to the Russian military in Syria, where it often mounts air strikes on Iranian assets.

“We’re shocked by the terrible sights in Bucha – awful scenes – and we condemn them. The suffering of Ukrainian citizens is immense, and we’re doing everything we can to assist,” Bennett said.