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Middle East conflict

Russia to continue work on return of Gaza hostages, including two Russians — ambassador

Two Russians remain among the hostages held by radicals in the Gaza Strip - Alexander Trufanov and Alexander Lobanov

TEL AVIV, June 11. /TASS/. Russia will continue its targeted efforts for the release of all hostages held by radicals in the Gaza Strip, including two compatriots, Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov said during a meeting with Russian citizen Andrey Kozlov freed from the Gaza Strip and his family, the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv reported.

During the meeting, Viktorov "pointed out that Russia will continue to make targeted efforts to recover all those held in the Gaza Strip, including two Russian citizens," the statement said.

Two other Russians remain among the hostages held by radicals in the Gaza Strip: Alexander Trufanov and Alexander Lobanov.

Viktorov welcomed Kozlov's release during the meeting and wished him "a speedy recovery and a return to normal life," the embassy added.

On June 8, the Israeli army's press service reported a special operation in the Nuseirat area in the central part of the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the release of four Israelis who were kidnapped on October 7. They are Noa Agramani (25), Almog Meir (21), Shlomi Ziv (40) and Andrey Kozlov (27), who also holds Russian citizenship. The Gaza Health Ministry said that at least 274 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli operation.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children 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. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also been reported on the West Bank.

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