Russia invites Palestinian factions for talks on Israeli offensive in Gaza
Moscow, which for years tried to court good relations with all major players in the region, has grown increasingly critical of Israel and its Western backers amid the ongoing aggression in Gaza.
Putin has called for a ceasefire and Moscow has repeatedly criticised Israel's conduct in Gaza after the October 7 attack. / Photo: Reuters
Russia has invited Hamas and other Palestinian factions including Fatah to Moscow for talks on Israel's war on Gaza and other issues in the Middle East, an official said.
Russia has invited around a dozen Palestinian groups to Moscow for "inter-Palestinian" talks from February 29, the state-run TASS news agency reported on Friday, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.
"We invited all Palestinian representatives - all political forces that have their positions in different countries, including Syria, Lebanon and other countries in the region," said Bogdanov, who is President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for the Middle East.
They include Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, alongside representatives of Fatah and the broader Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
Since October 7, Israel has killed at least 28,775 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health officials in the enclave.
Putin has called for a ceasefire and Moscow has repeatedly criticised Israel's conduct in Gaza after the October 7 attack.
The public statements, combined with Russia's partnerships with Iran and Hamas, have soured Russian-Israeli relations since the conflict broke out.
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