Israel’s Ambassador to Russia, Simona Halperin, stated that three Russian-Israeli dual nationals are still held captive by Hamas in Gaza as Moscow endeavors to secure their release.
On October 7, Hamas militants initiated a surprise assault against Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the capture of around 250 individuals. In response, Israel launched a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip, leading to the deaths of over 32,900 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
A temporary ceasefire in November saw the release of around 120 hostages, but Israel believes that 134 people are still being held captive by Hamas, with 36 of them confirmed dead, Halperin reported to state-run TASS news agency. She noted that the three individuals with dual citizenship, including Russian, are not among the confirmed casualties.
Halperin expressed her belief that the Russian authorities are actively engaged in securing the release of the captives. However, despite efforts, their release has not been achieved thus far, as conveyed by the ambassador in an interview.
Moscow has previously declared its commitment to engage with all parties involved in the conflict, including Israel and Hamas, to ensure the safe return of Russian citizens held captive.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the ongoing efforts to secure the release of Russian hostages, stating that while progress has been elusive, Moscow will persist in its endeavors. Peskov reiterated Moscow’s intent to work with all stakeholders in the conflict to achieve the desired outcome.
Russia’s ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, had previously indicated that there were at least two hostages with dual Russian and Israeli citizenship, although the actual number may be higher.
While Russia has refrained from designating Hamas as a terrorist organization, it has consistently advocated for the establishment of a Palestinian state as a long-term solution to the conflict.
The assault by Hamas militants on Israel in October resulted in significant casualties and widespread destruction. In retaliation, Israel conducted extensive bombardments in the Gaza Strip, leading to thousands of Palestinian casualties, primarily civilians, according to reports from the Hamas health ministry in Gaza.
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