BERLIN, October 19. /TASS/. The radical Palestinian group Hamas should release the Israeli hostages it is holding inside the Gaza Strip without setting any preconditions, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said while delivering a government statement in the Bundestag (parliament).

The head of government noted that obtaining the release of the hostages was the most important objective for the German authorities. "They must be released without any conditions," he stated. Scholz slammed Hamas’ terror attacks as "inhumane" and pointed to Israel's right to defend itself.

Meanwhile, the chancellor emphasized that "it is important to find ways to provide humanitarian aid" to the Gaza Strip.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hamas supporters have taken at least 200 hostages. The Russian Embassy in Israel said earlier that there was at least one Russian citizen among them. On Tuesday, Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov acknowledged that there could be more Russians among the hostages.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem. Israel announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip as it has been delivering rocket attacks on Gaza as well as some districts in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.