On Saturday, it was reported that Musa Abu Marzuk, the deputy head of Hamas Politburo, would be arriving in Moscow on June 24 for talks. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had planned several meetings with Abu Marzuk during his visit to discuss various issues.
During his March meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian government emphasized the need for Hamas to release three Russian citizens being held hostage in Gaza. However, only one of them was released while the other two remained captive. Despite Russia’s support of Hamas and their leader’s congratulation of Putin on his election victory, Hamas had not fulfilled Russia’s request for releasing the captives.
Following the tragic events of “Black Saturday” in 2023 when hundreds were killed or kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, the Russian Foreign Ministry had been communicating with Hamas delegates to secure the release of some Russian captives. Analysts have suggested that conflicts in Israel have diverted attention away from Ukraine and reduced military aid to the country.
Musa Abu Marzuk has played a significant role in Hamas leadership and has been involved in negotiations with various countries despite being considered a dangerous terrorist. His visit to Moscow is expected to focus on peace talks and negotiations involving Hamas, which have been ongoing for many years.