A high-level delegation from the Hamas Movement held a key diplomatic meeting on Monday with Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister, at the headquarters of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow.

The talks focused on the intensifying Israeli aggression in Gaza, as well as escalating Israeli violations across the West Bank, Jerusalem, and most recently, the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Leading the Hamas delegation was Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk, Head of International Relations for the Movement. Abu Marzouk and his accompanying officials presented a detailed overview of the grave humanitarian and security crisis caused by Israel’s ongoing genocidal war against Gaza’s besieged population—now entering its 20th month.

“The scale of destruction and brutality is unprecedented,” the delegation warned, citing daily massacres, deliberate targeting of civilians, and the destruction of vital infrastructure including hospitals, mosques, and residential neighborhoods. The worsening blockade, they said, has plunged over two million people into extreme deprivation.

The Hamas leaders also highlighted the escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel’s aggressive policies in Occupied Jerusalem. They described a campaign of ethnic cleansing marked by home demolitions, land theft, and unpunished settler attacks—often carried out under the protection of Israeli forces.

A key part of the meeting addressed Israel’s recent aerial assault on Iranian territory. Hamas condemned the attack as part of Tel Aviv’s wider destabilization agenda in West Asia. The delegation expressed full support for Tehran’s right to self-defense, warning that failure to hold Israel accountable would embolden further aggression and undermine regional stability.

In response, Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov reaffirmed the Russian Federation’s enduring support for the rights of the Palestinian people and for the establishment of a just, comprehensive, and durable peace. He expressed Russia’s concern over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza and emphasized Moscow’s continued diplomatic efforts within the United Nations Security Council and with regional actors to halt Israeli aggression and facilitate humanitarian access.

Bogdanov also praised Russia’s longstanding relationship with the Hamas Movement and stressed the importance of maintaining open channels for constructive dialogue and mutual understanding.

The Hamas delegation included senior officials Sami Abu Zuhri, Bashar Shalabi, Mohammed Al-Ayla, and Iyad Abu Zaher—the Movement’s official representative in Russia. Both sides agreed on the importance of continued cooperation and information sharing to confront Israeli war crimes and uphold the rights of oppressed peoples in the region.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation persists in its brutal campaign against Gaza. Entire families are being erased in a matter of minutes as warplanes flatten residential areas and bomb near aid distribution points coordinated with the United States. The siege tightens further, with the health system in ruins and famine conditions rapidly spreading.

As global attention begins to shift, the people of Gaza continue to suffer silently—cut off from the world, but never from the hearts of those who resist injustice. (ILKHA)