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Middle East conflict

Three Russians with Israeli citizenship presumably taken hostage by Hamas — ambassador

According to Anatoly Viktorov, there may be 20 Russians among those killed, but this information "will have to be verified"

© AP Photo/Hatem Ali

MOSCOW, October 26. /TASS/. Three people with Russian and Israeli citizenship may have been abducted by the Palestinian radical movement Hamas, Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov told the Soloviev Live TV show.

"Unfortunately, three [Russian] citizens, who also hold Israeli passports, have presumably been taken hostage. Appropriate communication is being conducted," the Russian diplomat said.

According to Viktorov, there may be 20 Russians among those killed, but this information "will have to be verified." "It may turn out that not all of them have Russian citizenship," the ambassador explained. "However, some people have been killed and six others are missing," he added.

Tensions in the Middle East flared up again on October 7 when Hamas militants launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian movement described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel declared a total siege of Gaza and started carrying out strikes on the Palestinian enclave, as well as on certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.

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