MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. Israeli Ambassador to Moscow Simona Halperin's biased assessment of Russia's contribution to the release of Hamas hostages is surprising, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Commenting on the process of releasing hostages in Gaza, the diplomat pointed to the fact that "concrete results that were achieved in the course of work in this priority humanitarian area" prompted the Israeli leadership to change its negative perception of Russia's interaction with Hamas.
"Against this background, ambassador Simona Halperin's biased assessment of Russia's contribution to the hostage release is surprising, to say the least. But let's leave it, as they say, on her conscience," Zakharova pointed out.
At the same time, she noted that in general, the earlier criticism from the Israeli side "has been replaced by a more pragmatic approach due to the increased interest in using Russia's mediation potential to solve the problem." "This, among other things, was expressed in numerous appeals to us by Israeli representatives at various levels, including the Israeli Embassy in Moscow, with requests to continue active work on this file," the diplomat added.
She emphasized that Russia will continue to press for the speedy return not only of compatriots Alexander Trufanov and Donbass native Maxim Kharkin, but also of all other hostages. "To this end, Israel and Hamas must strictly comply with the agreements reached within the framework of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, both at the current and subsequent stages of its implementation," the spokeswoman said. "After all, the fate of all hostages remaining in Gaza, as well as the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, depends on this," she emphasized.
Russia's contribution to release of hostages
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman recalled that the Russian side, in its months-long negotiations with representatives of the Palestinian movement through all available channels, insistently sought the speedy return of all compatriots. "We have also paid due attention to the relevant appeals addressed to us by a number of foreign partners," she explained.
Zakharova also cited a statement made by senior Hamas political leader Abu Marzouk on February 3 upon his arrival in Moscow for a meeting with the Russian president's special representative for the Middle East and African countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. "He explicitly said that the decision to include Alexander Trufanov in the list of persons to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners during the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, concluded between Hamas and Israel in January 2025, was made at Russia's request and as a sign of gratitude for our country's unwavering position in support of a just solution to the Palestinian issue," the diplomat pointed out.
She also recalled that during the so-called humanitarian pause in November 2023, "in the same exceptional order" at Russia's request, "Russians Yelena Trufanova, Irina Tatti (Alexander Trufanov's mother and grandmother), Ron Krivoy, as well as elderly Israeli Holocaust survivor Yaffa Adar were released." "And this was done without any conditions or demands for counter steps from the Israeli side," Zakharova noted.