Kremlin continues contacts with Hamas despite Israel’s outrage
The Kremlin does not find it embarrassing to meet with representatives of a terrorist organization in Moscow, which carried out a horrific massacre in Israel on October 7 and has been attacking Israeli cities with rockets for the past 20 days.
"We continue and consider it necessary to maintain our contacts with all parties," said Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian president, at a press briefing.
He clarified that Moscow also hopes for a "dialogue with Israel." Peskov also reassured that Hamas representatives have "no Kremlin program."
"There are no contacts with the Kremlin," he said.
Earlier, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a condemning statement regarding the visit of the Hamas delegation to Russia.
"Hamas is a terrorist organization that is even more bloodthirsty than ISIS. The hands of the Hamas leadership are stained with the blood of 1400 Israelis, who were torn apart, killed, and burned. They are responsible for the kidnapping of 220 people, including children, women, and the elderly. Israel sees the invitation of the Hamas delegation to Moscow as support for terrorism, granting legitimacy to Hamas's atrocities. We urge the Russian authorities to immediately expel the terrorists," the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv responded to Israeli leadership: "Russia's contacts and actions in the Middle East region and in international organizations are primarily aimed at the immediate release of the hostages in the Gaza Strip, as well as resolving issues related to the evacuation of Russian and other foreign citizens from its territory."
Peskov refused to answer questions from Russian reporters about the progress of negotiations with Hamas regarding the hostages, redirecting them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Any information should come only from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is nothing more to add," he said.
Earlier, representatives of Hamas visiting Moscow stated that the group cannot release the hostages until a ceasefire agreement is reached.