Hamas promises to release eight Russian hostages

Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, a senior Hamas official, has told RIA Novosti that Russia requested information from the militants about eight Russian citizens who are being held hostage in the Gaza Strip.

“We are paying very close attention to this list and will process it thoroughly because we view Russia as our closest friend,” Marzook stated.

He added that Hamas is currently searching for the people on the Russian list and, when they are found, will “release them, despite the complexities caused by the current situation.”

On October 26, a Hamas delegation visited Moscow for discussions, which, as reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry, included talks on the release of foreign hostages in Gaza and plans for evacuating Russian and other foreign nationals from the Palestinian enclave. The ministry’s statement did not mention that Russian citizens were among those captured by Hamas. The Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned the Russian authorities’ decision to welcome a Hamas delegation in Moscow.