MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. Palestine is in close contact with Russia over the situation in the Middle East and highly values Moscow’s stance, Palestinian Ambassador to Moscow Abdel Hafiz Nofal told TASS.

"We are in daily contact with the Russian Foreign Ministry," the diplomat said. "We’ll see what happens but we are always in touch," he added.

The diplomat reiterated that following attacks in Lebanon and Iran, the Russian Foreign Ministry immediately condemned them. "We highly appreciate Russia’s position," he added.

Earlier, the Palestinian movement Hamas said that Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh had been killed in an Israeli strike targeting the residence he was staying at in Tehran, where he had arrived for the inauguration of the country's president-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian. The Al Hadath TV channel reported that Haniyeh was killed in a direct missile strike. Deputy Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau Mousa Abu Marzook has warned that Haniyeh’s assassination will not go unanswered.

A source in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told TASS that the Israeli military is not commenting on Haniyeh's death.