MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry and other specialized agencies are making every effort to ensure the quick and safe evacuation of Russian citizens from the Gaza Strip, Russian Ambassador to Tel Aviv Anatoly Viktorov said.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry, Russian specialized agencies, our foreign missions in Cairo, Tel Aviv and Ramallah are in contact with the relevant authorities. We are making every effort to ensure the earliest possible safe exit of Russian citizens from the Gaza Strip, and we are confident that our efforts will bear fruit," the diplomat said.

In turn, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reiterated at a briefing Russia’s willingness to continue actively cooperating with Israel, Egypt and Palestine to start the evacuation of compatriots from the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.

"We continue to actively cooperate with the Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian authorities. Every day, several times a day, we hold contacts with the ambassadors of Egypt and Israel in Moscow, as well as with specialized international organizations, in order to start the evacuation as soon as possible," she noted.

The diplomat recalled that about 1,000 Russians are listed as wanting to evacuate the Gaza Strip. "At this point, it is not possible to resolve the issue of evacuation from the Gaza Strip of compatriots who have asked for help. As you know, there are about 1,000 people on the evacuation list," the Zakharova said.

According to the spokeswoman, the Russian side expects in the near future "to take care of all the necessary formalities to organize safe passage (through the Rafah checkpoint - TASS) to Egyptian territory."

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking more than 200 hostages, including children, women and the elderly. Hamas 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 has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.