Hamas delegation is in Moscow for meetings with Russia and Iran, according to reports
A Hamas official said on Friday that the Palestinian terror group will not release hostages captured in its war with Israel until a cease-fire agreement is reached.
According to Reuters, Russian newspaper Kommersant quoted Abu Hamid, a member of a Hamas delegation visiting Moscow as saying that Hamas needs to identify where Palestinian factions are holding hostages in the Gaza Strip.
“They captured dozens of people, most of them civilians, and we need time to find them in the Gaza Strip and then release them,” Hamid reported, noting that a calm environment is needed to do so.
The development comes as the number of hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas terrorists has risen to 229, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari said Friday.
Friday’s number is five more than the 224 hostages reported Thursday, and Hagari said the number is likely to change as various operations continue.
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Since Hamas began taking hostages during the October 7 attack on Israel, only four have been released from captivity — a mother-daughter duo from the Chicago area and two elderly Israeli women.
Hagari said the IDF will invest all its efforts in its first priority to bring the hostages home safely.
Also on Friday, a senior politician in the Hamas delegation in Moscow met with Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Ali Bagiri Kani, according to Russia’s state-run Tass news agency.
“[Iranian] Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani, who arrived in Moscow at the invitation of his Russian counterpart for an exchange of views and bilateral talks, met with Abu Marzouk, a member of the Hamas politburo,” it quoted. Iran’s embassy in Moscow said on its Telegram channel.
“Tehran’s priorities in negotiations with foreign parties are to declare an immediate ceasefire, provide aid to the people, and lift the oppressive blockade of Gaza,” the embassy said, citing the deputy foreign minister.