Israeli Ambassador: Russia did not play any role in the process of liberating “its citizens” captured by Hamas terrorists

— What role did Russia play in its inclusion on this list? Was this, perhaps, some kind of concession to the Russian government on the part of Hamas…?

— I must admit that no. The fact that he is included in the list is not caused by the actions of the Russian Federation.… – said the Ambassador of Israel to Russia Simone Galperin in an interview with Russian RBC January 23, 2025.

— Is it possible to talk about any role of Russia in achieving the current agreement? Involved whether she has connections with Hamas, to push the group to an agreement?

— Honestly, there’s no…..

“Remember in order to forget”: how Russia “worked” with Hamas

Since the tragic events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists took hostages, Russia has made only a few statements. The words about “pressure on Hamas” and requests to the group’s leaders sounded more like a formality. All of the “Russian” hostages who were released returned home to Israel either as a result of IDF operations or as a result of Israel's dealings with Hamas.

But why was Russia, which, according to its officials, so actively interacting with Hamas, unable to achieve the release of its citizens? The answer lies on the surface: Moscow has long been closely cooperating with groups like Hamas, which makes its “pressure” rather symbolic.

Hostages and loud statements

In January 2025, Russian President Ptin suddenly recalled the citizens of the Russian Federation who remained in captivity. It is noteworthy that this happened after a year and a half of silence. The Russian ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, said: “Hostages with Russian passports will be released in the next month.” But should we believe these promises, given that Hamas itself openly admits that it is using Moscow as a tool to put pressure on Israel?

Israeli position: clear and transparent

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Israel Simone Halperin commented on this situation to RBC. She stated that Russia actually played no role in the process of freeing the hostages. All successes related to the return of citizens were achieved through the efforts of Israel and its international partners.

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— What role did Russia play in its inclusion in this list? Was this, perhaps, some kind of concession to the Russian government on the part of Hamas, as in its time with Ron Crooked?

– I must admit that no. The fact that he is included in the list is not caused by the actions of the Russian Federation. Although we worked on the issue of releasing the hostages, including Trufanov, I also had long negotiations with the Russian side. But no, he was included in this list from the very beginning of our negotiations with Hamas.

…

— It is important to say that I am working with the Russian side on the release of hostages not only with Russian citizenship. We are working on Maxim Kharkin and two other hostages whose fate the Russian Federation is concerned about. I won't reveal their names. But we really hope that the Russian side will be able to truly help with this. I sincerely believe that if the Russian side demands this persistently enough, it will be able to facilitate the release of these three hostages (When will it finally be? – ed.)

…

— Is it possible to talk about any role of Russia in achieving the current agreement? Involved whether she has connections with Hamas, to push the group to an agreement?

– Honestly, no.

— So now we are talking about facilitating the second stage of the deal?

– There are intermediaries who worked on the deal – the USA, Egypt and Qatar. We are working with Russia specifically on three hostages that we believe Russia can help free through its relationship with Hamas. Russia is not participating in the negotiations. But Russia can use its position to force the return of these three hostages home.

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Friendship with Hamas: Moscow's dangerous alliance

An important question is how close Russia's ties are to terrorists. Mikhail Bogdanov, deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, has long been considered the main patron of Hamas and other extremist groups. It is not surprising that Moscow has a reputation for supporting destabilization in the Middle East.

Hamas, hostages and Israel: what happens next?

With the entry into force of the truce on January 19, 2025, Israel achieved the release of the first hostages. Hamas, despite its promises, is delaying the process, demonstrating its unpredictability. Israel has made it clear that it will not allow Hamas to maintain power in the Gaza Strip.

Conclusion: Russia, “playing for the public” and lessons for Israel

Russia, trying to strengthen its position in the Middle East, is demonstrating activity that, in fact, is not backed up by real actions. Israel continues to rely on itself and its real partners – the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

At the same time, Russia’s friendship with Hamas and its desire to be an “influential player” raises questions. Moscow's actions show that in international relations words are not enough – actions are important.

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