MOSCOW, Jan  19, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Russia on Friday urged Hamas to release
all hostages during talks with the militant group in Moscow, saying the
humanitarian situation in Gaza had reached "catastrophic" levels.

Russian diplomat Mikhail Bogdanov "stressed the need for the speedy release
of civilians captured during the attacks of 7 October" in talks with Hamas
senior official Musa Abu Marzouk, the foreign ministry said.

The Palestinian Islamist group said in a statement that the talks were "to
clarify the movement's position and policies for dealing with the file of
prisoners" it was holding.

The statement added that they had also discussed securing a ceasefire in
the besieged territory and Bogdanov had expressed Russia's "support of the
rights of the Palestinian people".

Hamas fighters launched attacks on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of
about 1,140 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally
based on official Israeli figures.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas.

Its military response has so far killed at least 24,762 in Gaza, around 70
percent of them women, young children and adolescents, according to the
territory's health ministry.