The Russian Special Representative for the Middle East and African Countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, spoke out about the plight of two Russian citizens currently being held in the Gaza Strip during a press briefing. While Hamas has assured Russia that they are willing to release the citizens outside of any deals, Bogdanov emphasized that a temporary ceasefire is necessary in order for this to happen.
Bogdanov stated, “We still have two hostages who are Russian citizens. We have been actively raising these concerns with Hamas and they have assured us that they are willing to release the Russian citizens outside of any deals. However, in order for this to happen, there needs to be a temporary ceasefire so that they can hand over the citizens to the International Committee of the Red Cross.”
The safety and well-being of the Russian citizens in Gaza Strip is of utmost importance to Bogdanov, who expressed hope that a temporary ceasefire can be achieved in order to facilitate their release. Bogdanov’s comments shed light on the ongoing efforts to secure the release of the Russian citizens and the challenges that need to be overcome in order to make it happen.
