MOSCOW: Russia on Friday urged Hamas to release all prisoners during talks in Moscow, saying the humanitarian situation in Gaza had reached “catastrophic” levels.

Hamas took about 250 Israeli prisoners in the Oct 7 raids, 132 of whom remain in Gaza.

Russian diplomat Mikhail Bogdanov “stressed the need for the speedy release of civilians captured during the attacks of Oct 7” in talks with Hamas senior official Musa Abu Marzouk, the foreign ministry said.

The Palestinian group said in a statement that the talks were “to clarify the movement’s position and policies for dealing with the file of prisoners” it was holding.

The statement added that they had also discussed securing a ceasefire in the besieged territory and Bogdanov had expressed Russia’s “support of the rights of the Palestinian people”.

Bogdanov also met Israel’s ambassador to Moscow Simona Halperin, the Russian foreign ministry said later.

She was “informed about the targeted efforts of the Russian diplomacy in the interests of the immediate and unconditional release of civilians, including Russian citizens, held in the Gaza strip,” the ministry said in a statement.

Bogdanov also voiced Moscow’s “consistent position in support of a comprehensive Middle East settlement on the basis of the decisions of the UN.” Russia has criticised Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and repeatedly called for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2024