Hostage crisis escalates: Kremlin grapples with Russian citizens held by Hamas in Gaza
9:38 AM EDT, October 27, 2023
On Thursday, Reuters reported that the Kremlin received a visit from a delegation of Hamas, a Palestinian political-military organisation. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this information. Among others, the delegation included Abu Marzuk, a member of the Hamas political office.
Concurrently, the Russian capital also hosted Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. Bagheri Kani, as reported by Reuters, is the chief negotiator on matters pertaining to the Iranian nuclear program.
Russia seeks to capitalize on the opportunity
Reuters highlighted that Russia is maintaining active contact with all key players in the Middle East, which includes Iran, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the talks largely focused on discussions about hostage release and the evacuation of Russians and foreigners from the Gaza Strip.
China and Russia aim to heighten influence
The anger in the Middle East surged following the bombings executed by Israel in the Gaza Strip, which was in response to an attack by Hamas militants. According to an analysis by Reuters, China and Russia view this scenario as an opportunity to boost their sway in the region by backing the Palestinians. This perspective sharply contrasts the position of the US, which supports Israel.
Earlier on the same day, the Russian embassy in Israel revealed that among those held captive by Hamas were three individuals who were Russian citizens. The Russian edition of BBC News provided this information. Reports claim that during an assault on Israel, occurring on October 7 from the Gaza Strip, Hamas took more than 200 people hostage.
