The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Mikhail Bogdanov, the Special Representative for the Middle East and African Countries, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, held telephone conversations with representatives from both Fatah and Hamas.
According to an official statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the talks were initiated by the Palestinian side. They involved Bogdanov speaking with Azzam Ahmed, a member of Fatah's Executive Committee, and Mousa Abu Marzook, the Deputy Chairman of Hamas's Politburo.
The discussions focused on addressing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, particularly the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, they exchanged views on the upcoming inter-Palestinian meeting scheduled for the end of February or early March in Moscow, hosted by the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Russian side reiterated its consistent support for Palestinian unity under the political platform of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
As previously reported, Moscow will host an inter-Palestinian meeting on February 28-29. Representatives from Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) have been invited. The meeting aims to overcome internal divisions among Palestinian factions.
The last inter-Palestinian meeting, organized by the Russian Foreign Ministry in February 2019, aimed to adopt a "Moscow Declaration" to resolve contradictions between various Palestinian factions and oppose the American "deal of the century."
However, Hamas and Islamic Jihad refused to sign the declaration, leading to Fatah issuing an apology to Russian authorities.
The upcoming meeting in Moscow occurs amidst a five-month-long war initiated by terrorists from Gaza, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Israeli citizens and military personnel.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted operations in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 10,000 terrorists and widespread destruction in the strip, rendering it uninhabitable.
The Hamas delegation in Moscow will be led by Mousa Abu Marzook, while Azzam al-Ahmad will head the Fatah delegation. Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, and the DFLP have confirmed their participation but have not announced their delegation leaders.
Despite designations by other countries, Russia does not recognize Hamas or Islamic Jihad as terrorist organizations. Moscow maintains regular contact with their leadership through the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has met with Hamas leaders, while the current President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, avoids public personal contact with Hamas representatives.
Khalid Meshal, who led the Hamas politburo for many years, visited Moscow in March 2006, February 2007, and February 2010.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Khaled Mashal twice in Damascus, in March 2008 and May 2009, expressing support for the "continuity of relations" between Russia and Hamas.
From 2007 to 2011, a representative of the Hamas leadership, Osama Hamdan, frequently visited Moscow and participated in various events in the Russian capital.
Ismail Haniyeh first met with the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry in March 2020, followed by a meeting in September 2022.
Lavrov had previously met with Haniyeh’s deputy, Mousa Abu Marzook, in Moscow on several occasions.
In January 2017, Lavrov addressed representatives of Fatah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, saying, "Dear guests, dear friends..."
Since the tragic events of "Black Saturday" in October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli territory, killing over a thousand people and kidnapping hundreds, including Russian citizens, the Russian Foreign Ministry has hosted several Hamas delegations. These interactions have been credited with facilitating the release of some Russian citizens held captive by Hamas in Gaza.
Many analysts observe that the Russian government has benefitted from the Israel conflict by diverting attention from the situation in Ukraine and influencing reductions in military assistance to Ukraine.
