MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. Russia is grateful to the Hamas leadership for their receptiveness to appeals to release hostages and Moscow will use this as an impetus to free other Russians from captivity in the Gaza Strip, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a commentary.

"In accordance with the agreement reached with the leadership of the Hamas movement, on November 29, our compatriots Yelena Trufanova and Irina Tatti were released from captivity in the Gaza Strip," the commentary said. "We are grateful to the leadership of the Hamas movement for their positive response to our insistent appeals. We will continue to push for the swiftest release of other Russians being held in the Gaza Strip," the diplomat added.

Zakharova noted that the deal to return Russian nationals home was not related to the Israeli-Hamas agreements on swapping Israeli women and children held hostage in the enclave for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel’s jails.

She also pointed out that earlier this week, the relatives of Russians in captivity, including those of Trufanova, met with Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov. "The meeting’s participants were assured that Russia would make every diplomatic effort to liberate the compatriots," she stressed.

On Wednesday, the Gaza-based Palestinian radical group Hamas announced the release of two female hostages with Russian citizenship and their transfer to the Red Cross "in response to efforts" by Russian President Vladimir Putin. A couple of hours prior to this, Hamas Political Bureau member Mousa Abu Marzook said that the radical movement was planning on releasing several more Russians as a show of respect to Putin.