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2:50 p.m. ET, October 26, 2023

Hamas discusses Gaza hostages with Russian officers in Moscow

From The Gentleman Report’s Katharina Krebs in London, Ibrahim Dahman in Gaza and Eyad Kourdi

A Hamas delegation has held talks in Moscow with a senior Russian overseas ministry professional, in step with Russian state media TASS and a Hamas remark. TASS mentioned discussions targeted at the free up of hostages held through Hamas, in addition to the evacuation of Russian voters from Gaza.

Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy leader of Hamas’s political bureau, and Basem Naim, every other senior Gaza-based Hamas chief, have been a number of the visiting delegation, which met with Russia’s deputy overseas minister and Particular Presidential Consultant for the Center East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov, in step with the Hamas remark.

TASS quoted the overseas ministry announcing talks had taken position as a part of Russia’s place calling for “the rapid free up of overseas hostages positioned within the Gaza Strip.”

“Problems similar to making sure the evacuation of Russian and different overseas voters from the territory of the Palestinian enclave have been additionally mentioned,” the overseas ministry added.

The Hamas delegation praised the placement of Russian President Vladimir Putin and stressed out the desire for the global neighborhood to “uphold its duties in opposition to the crime of genocide dedicated through the Zionist executive,” in step with the Hamas remark.

“Mr. Bogdanov expressed his nation’s place in make stronger of the rights of the Palestinian other people and confirmed his nation’s efforts with the related events geared toward a ceasefire, opening the crossings and bringing in humanitarian assist (to Gaza),” the Hamas remark added.

Israel’s response: Israel condemned Russian officers’ assembly with senior Hamas officers, in step with an Israeli Ministry of Overseas Affairs remark.

“Israel condemns the invitation of senior Hamas officers to Moscow, which is an act of make stronger of terrorism and legitimizes the atrocities of Hamas terrorists,” the overseas ministry mentioned. “We name at the Russian executive to expel the Hamas terrorists in an instant.”

Evacuation requests: On Thursday, Russian Overseas Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova additionally that about 1,000 voters of Russia and member nations of the Commonwealth of Impartial States (CIS) have asked to be evacuated from Gaza.

The CIS member nations come with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The Gentleman Report’s Lauren Kent and Tamar Michaelis contributed reporting to this put up.