Hamas Visit To Moscow Shows Strained Relations With The Kremlin

Amid the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas leadership is seeking ways to rebuild the area and seek political support. However, slow progress in the release of hostages with Russian citizenship, the group's murky future, and unclear economic benefits seem to be causing discontent in Moscow and putting a strain on relations with the group. Amid its need to restore regions affected by the war with Ukraine, Russia's economic participation in the reconstruction of Gaza might be limited as well.  

On February 3, 2025,the Hamas delegation headed by the deputy head of the group's Politburo Musa Abu Marzouk arrived in Moscow for talks. According to Marzouk himself Hamas came to the country's capital at the official invitation of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Before the meeting, Russia's TASS media, citing a source "in the Hamas leadership," reported that during the talks, Hamas planned to ask the Russian side for assistance in reducing the consequences of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The parties also planned to discuss a ceasefire in the region. As the source put it, the movement sought Russia's support in putting, "pressure on the [Israeli] occupier to comply with his obligations" under the ceasefire.[1] In turn, as it seems, the Kremlin asked Hamas to release two hostages in the movement's captivity: Alexander Trufanov and Maksim Kharkin.

Deputy Chairman of the Politburo of the Palestinian movement Hamas, Musa Abu Marzouk at the Foreign Ministry building in Moscow. February 3, 2025 (Source: Ramil Sitdikov / RIA Novosti media).[2]

This is the third time Hamas has held talks in Moscow, after two previous visits in October 2023 and January 2024. The talks were held in the Russian Foreign Ministry. As during the previous meetings, the delegation was received by the special representative of the Russian president for the Middle East and African countries, Deputy Head of the Foreign Ministry Mikhail Bogdanov. President Putin did not plan to meet with Hamas, as Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov reported earlier, whereas Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was apparently attending the opening ceremony of an exhibition dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Russo-Indonesian diplomatic relations.

It seems that the Russian side was rather dissatisfied with the talks, while Hamas did not receive concrete results on its requests. Thus, the communique on the results of the meeting published at the ministry websites stresses that humanitarian aid supplies will depend on a fulfillment of obligations in relation to Hamas hostages. The text states that parties discussed ceasefire in Gaza "with an emphasis on the importance of increasing the volume of humanitarian aid to the affected Palestinian population... Wherein, the Russian side once again particularly emphasized the need to fulfill the promises made by the Hamas leadership regarding the priority release from captivity of Russian citizen A. Trufanov and other hostages held in the Gaza Strip."[3] The Russian Emergencies Ministry last sent humanitarian aid in November 2024.[4]

Before the meeting, on January 24, deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov held phone conversations with the Hamas leadership, again stressing Moscow's interest in the priority release of Trufanov and Kharkin.[5] However, Abu Marzouk was rather vague in commenting on the issue. He stated that Trufanov will be released in the near future, within the framework of agreements with Israel. Marzouk added that the release will come as "reciprocal gesture to Russia's position on the Palestinian issue." In turn, the fate of Maksim Kharkin will be decided in the second stage of the deal with Israel. Marzouk said that the possibility of Kharkin's release was considered "only out of respect for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kharkin is a prisoner of war, negotiations for his release will be held at the second stage, not the first. There are many details. But as a reciprocal gesture to Russia, we are ready to release him on a priority basis, so that his name is at the top of the list." Though the Hamas politburo member did not specify what actions they expect from the Kremlin, one can assume that he meant humanitarian aid and restoration of the Gaza Strip. Be that as it may, as it proceeds from the ministry's communique, these assurances apparently were not sufficient for Moscow.

It is unclear whether Russia will participate in the reconstruction of Gaza, especially against the backdrop of the protracted war in Ukraine and Russia's need to rebuild regions affected by the hostilities.