Russia is working with Hamas and Israel to release hostages, including Russians held by the movement in Gaza, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov told RIA Novosti.
„We had contacts regarding the release of hostages and Russian citizens who remain among the hostages, with the Israelis and with Hamas, and in Doha and Tel Aviv our embassies worked very actively and we continue to work,”, he said.
Earlier, information appeared in the media that a high-ranking delegation from Russia visited Tel Aviv to negotiate with representatives of Israel for a possible agreement with the Hamas movement.
The Israeli and Russian sides have not officially confirmed this information.
On October 23, the deputy head of the Hamas Politburo, Musa Abu Marzouk, visited Moscow and met with Bogdanov, discussing with him the situation in Gaza. After the talks, Marzouk said Hamas was ready to release two Russian hostages as a matter of priority, but as part of an exchange agreement with Israel. According to him, two Russian citizens are currently with Hamas in Gaza, one of them is Alexander Trufanov, who has Israeli and Russian citizenship. He added that the second Russian citizen who remained in Hamas is Maxim Harkin.