- September 1, 2024
- 11:09 pm
- World News
«Russia continues to maintain contacts with Hamas, without having achieved the release of its citizens from hostage situations, which looks like a betrayal of its compatriots.”
Russian Ambassador to IsraelAnatoly Viktorov, in his statement regarding the discovery of the bodies of six Israelis who were held hostage, including Alexander Lobanov, did not condemn Hamas for this crime.
“On August 31, the Israeli authorities announced that the bodies of six Israelis who were held hostage in an underground tunnel in the Gaza Strip had been found and returned to Israeli territory. We note with great regret that among them was Alexander Lobanov, who also had Russian citizenship. We mourn with the entire family and loved ones of Alexander, especially his mother and father, with whom we have been in constant contact all this time.”
However, despite Hamas's obvious involvement in the murder, Viktorov avoids directly condemning the terrorist organization.
Social activist Alex Tenzer writes Ynet sharply criticized Russia's behavior in this matter, noting:
“The Russian side does not condemn Hamas and does not mention the fact that Russia received a promise from Abu Marzouq that Hamas would release the Russian hostages and that they would receive special treatment.”
Tenzer also stressed that “Russia was one of the few countries that accepted the Hamas delegation, but failed to ensure the release of the hostages after the first deal.
Russian citizens must remember: Putin has forgotten about them.«
A day earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Israel of provoking a war in the Middle East, stating:
“It seems that the only one who wants this development of events is Israel. Probably, the government of this country does not particularly hide the fact that they want to take advantage of this situation in order to try to solve once and for all all the problems with Hamas, and with Hezbollah, and with pro-Iranian groups in Syria and Iraq, and, as you just said, with Iran itself.”
Lavrov also added that Iran “does not want to succumb to provocations,” emphasizing that “the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran at the inauguration ceremony of the new president is, of course, a provocation.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister's military secretary, Major General Roman Hoffman, paid a secret visit to Moscow to discuss the possibility of releasing the hostages, including Lobanov, as well as the Iranian threat.
However, before he could return to Israel, it became known that Hamas terrorists had killed Lobanov and five other hostages in a tunnel in Rafah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, upon learning of this, personally apologized to Lobanov's parents, saying: “I want to tell you that I am very sorry and I apologize that we were not able to bring Sasha back alive.”
As Ynet political commentator Itamar Eichner writes, Lobanov's murder is a blow to Egypt's prestige, through which Hamas promised Russia to free Russian citizens among the hostages.
The Russian ambassador's refusal to condemn Hamas in this context raises deep questions about the priorities of Russian diplomacy and how Russia positions itself in the complex situation in the Middle East.
Russia continues to maintain contacts with Hamas, without having achieved the release of its citizens from hostage situations, which looks like a betrayal of its compatriots.
Such behavior calls into question the sincerity and effectiveness of Russian diplomatic efforts, especially against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, where Russian foreign policy is already causing much controversy and condemnation.
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