The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow announced today (Monday) that the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, spoke with representatives of Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza. According to the ministry's announcement, in the conversation Russia demanded the release of all the Israeli abductees held in the Strip.
The conversation between Bogdanov and Hamas representatives comes a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, when he left the government meeting that was being held at the same time to conduct the conversation. According to the Prime Minister's office, the two leaders talked for about 50 minutes.
During the conversation, Netanyahu expressed his displeasure with the positions expressed by Russian representatives at the UN and other forums against Israel. It was also said that Netanyahu expressed strong criticism of the dangerous cooperation between Russia and Iran, as he said, "Any country that would suffer a criminal terrorist attack like the one experienced by Israel would act with no less force than the one in which Israel operates."
At the same time, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the Russian effort to free Roni Kariboy, an Israeli citizen with Russian citizenship, from Hamas captivity last week. Netanyahu made it clear to Putin that Israel "will use all means, both political and military, to free all our abductees." In addition, Netanyahu requested that Russia put pressure on the Red Cross in favor of visits and medicine for the abductees who remain in the captivity of Hamas.