A delegation from Hamas visited Moscow on Thursday for talks on the release of foreign hostages including Russian citizens that the militant group is currently holding in Gaza, Russian news agencies reported, citing the foreign ministry.
Senior Hamas member Abu Marzouk was among those attending the talks, TASS reported.
"Contacts were held with him in continuation of the Russian line on the immediate release of foreign hostages in the Gaza Strip. Issues related to ensuring the evacuation of Russian and other foreign citizens from the territory of the Palestinian enclave were also discussed," TASS said.
Russia has ties to all key players in the Middle East, including Israel, Iran, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, the terrorist group that controls Gaza.
Moscow has repeatedly blamed the current crisis on the failure of US. diplomacy, and called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the resumption of talks aimed at finding a peace settlement.
Hamas released its own statement in which it praised the efforts of Russia's President Vladimir Putin and foreign ministry to end what it called "the crimes of Israel that are supported by the West," according to Russia's RIA news agency.
Israel vows to end Hamas
Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas in retaliation for an Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,400 people. Israel has struck Gaza from the air and is preparing a ground invasion. Palestinian authorities say more than 6,500 have been killed.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing earlier on Thursday that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baghiri Kani was also currently visiting Moscow.
Zakharova gave no further details. Baghiri Kani is Iran's chief nuclear negotiator. Iran is a strong backer of Hamas in its conflict with Hamas.
Israel on Thursday called on Russia to expel a visiting Hamas delegation, saying their invitation to Moscow was "deplorable."
"Hamas is a terrorist organization worse than ISIS. The hands of senior Hamas figures are covered with the blood of more than 1400 Israelis who were slaughtered, murdered, executed and burned, and they are responsible for the abduction of more than 220 Israelis, including babies, children, women and the elderly," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.