Israel Asks Russia to Help Facilitate Gaza Hostage Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sent his military aide to Moscow to seek assistance from the Kremlin in facilitating a deal to free hostages held by Hamas.

“During the conversation, it was revealed that the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary, Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman returned this morning from a visit to Moscow, the goal of which was to advance the hostages deal and during which he discussed Alexander Lobanov and the other hostages,” reads an official statement on social media published on Sept. 1.

The results of the visit remain unclear at the time of publication.

The conversation likely referred to that between Netanyahu and the parents of Alexander Lobanov, a dual Israeli-Russian national whom the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office claimed “was murdered while being held hostage by Hamas” in another social media update.

A Bloomberg report on Sept. 1 said the trip to Moscow took place because “efforts spearheaded by the US, Qatar and Egypt to secure a truce with Hamas advance slowly.”

It added that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been in contact with Hamas regarding hostages with Russian citizenship.

The Kremlin condemned the Oct. 7 attack and rejected involvement but later showed support for Hamas and admitted the group’s senior officials during their subsequent Moscow visits.

Netanyahu claimed “intensive negotiations with the mediator” have been ongoing but blamed Hamas for “continuing to steadfastly refuse all proposals.”

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“Our efforts to free our hostages are continuing constantly. Since December, Hamas has refused to hold genuine negotiations. Three months ago, on May 27, Israel agreed to a hostage release deal with full backing from the US. Hamas refused.

“Even after the US updated the deal framework on Aug. 16 – we agreed, and Hamas again refused,” read an official press release issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office on Sept. 1.

The US, Qatar and Egypt have tried to facilitate a hostage swap deal and ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza for months, with Hamas rejecting the US’s claims that a Gaza truce is nearer on Aug. 17.

The latest negotiations reportedly fell through, with reports claiming that the Israeli delegation left the Qatari capital Doha on Saturday after three days without reaching an agreement.