Hamas Delegation in Russia: War Will Continue Until Gaza Residents 'Achieve Their Freedom'

The militant group Hamas announced on its Telegram channel that a delegation from the group, including political branch members such as Mousa Abu Marzouk and Hossam Badran, met with Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday. According to the Jerusalem Post, the Hamas delegation stated that the war would continue until the people of Gaza 'achieve their freedom' and also thanked Russia for its positions in support of the Palestinian people and for hosting Palestinian meetings. The report noted that the Hamas delegation updated the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister on the progress of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. The Russian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement saying, 'Our main priority is to stop the bloodshed; we have condemned this attack since the first days following the October 7, 2023 attack, but collective punishment of Palestinians is unacceptable.' Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized the necessity of Palestinian unity and wished Mahmoud Abbas success in forming a new cabinet, while Riyad al-Maliki, the Palestinian Authority's Foreign Minister, stated on Wednesday, March 1, that he does not expect a 'miracle' from the 'Moscow talks' regarding the formation of a unified Palestinian government and the reconstruction of Gaza. Russia has maintained a relationship with Hamas since the group's establishment. A mid-October Wall Street Journal report revealed that Russian-made weapons have been in Hamas's possession for several years, and terrorist groups linked to Hamas are trading Russian cryptocurrencies to circumvent Western sanctions. The extremist group Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and several European countries and supported by the Islamic Republic, killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in its October 7 attack on Israel. So far, tens of thousands have been killed in Israel's retaliatory attacks on Gaza, and a large part of the region has been destroyed. Israel accuses Hamas of hiding among civilians. Continuing reactions to the deaths of over a hundred Palestinians in Gaza; the U.S. called for further investigations by Israel. Hamas's military branch: seven Israeli hostages have been killed in Gaza. A halt to part of the European Commission's aid to UNRWA; an American official warned of a 'broader regional conflict.' The killing of a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and 'two Hezbollah members' in an Israeli attack on the Syrian port of Baniyas. Arab countries' efforts to condemn Israel at the UN Security Council were unsuccessful. Joe Biden expressed concern over the complicating of negotiations following a 'worrisome' incident in Gaza.