Hamas sends delegation to Russia to discuss release of Israeli hostages in Gaza

Russian news agencies claimed, citing the foreign ministry, that a Hamas delegation visited Moscow on Thursday to discuss the release of foreign hostages, including Russian citizens, that the militant group is currently holding in Gaza.

TASS reported that Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas member, was present at the discussions.

“Contacts were held with him in continuation of the Russian line on the immediate release of foreign hostages in the Gaza Strip. Issues related to ensuring the evacuation of Russian and other foreign citizens from the territory of the Palestinian enclave were also discussed,” TASS said.

Russia has connections with all of the major actors in the Middle East, such as Hamas, the Islamist terrorist organisation that rules Gaza, Israel, Iran, and the Palestinian Authority.

Moscow has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as well as the restart of negotiations aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution and has frequently blamed the current crisis on the failure of US diplomacy.

According to Russia’s RIA news agency, Hamas issued a statement of its own in which it commended the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the foreign ministry to put an end to what it called “the crimes of Israel that are supported by the West”.

Israel has responded to a Hamas attack on October 7th that left 1,400 people dead. Israel is getting ready to launch a ground assault of Gaza after attacking the 2.3 million-population territory from the air. According to Palestinian officials, almost 6,500 people have died.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baghiri Kani is now in Moscow as well, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Maria Zakharova made earlier on Thursday during a weekly briefing.

Zakharova withheld further information. Iran’s principal nuclear negotiator is Baghiri Kani. In its war with Hamas, Iran is a staunch supporter of Hamas.

(With agency inputs)