MOSCOW, September 13. /TASS/. Russian Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov reaffirmed Russia's commitment to continuing efforts toward the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip during a meeting with Israeli Ambassador to Moscow Simona Halperin, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"During the conversation, the sides continued discussing the situation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict zone, with a focus on developments in the Gaza Strip. The Russian side reaffirmed its commitment to continued efforts toward securing the release of Russian citizens held hostage in the Palestinian enclave," the ministry said.

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.