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Russia has diplomatic relations with the political wing ofHamas, the Palestinian Islamist organization which rules theGaza Strip. Russia has not designated Hamas as a terrorist organization,[1] though it has condemned Hamas attacks as "terrorism" and has taken a hard line againstIslamist terrorism. Russia has alsomaintained relations with Israel.
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After the collapse of theSoviet Union in 1991, Russia dramaticallyimproved relations with Israel. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the Russian government regularly condemned Hamas attacks, such as the 2004Beersheba bus bombings that killed 17 people. However, Russia never designated Hamas as a terrorist organization like it did with theTaliban[2] and with several armed groups affiliated with theChechen Republic of Ichkeria.[3] In 2005, Russian Deputy Foreign MinisterMikhail Bogdanov reaffirmed Russia's position that Russia did not consider Hamas a terrorist group and consider it as "an integral part of Palestinian society."[citation needed]
Relations warmed sharply after the2006 Palestinian legislative election on 26 January 2006. At his annual press conference on 31 January, After Hamas's victory, Russian PresidentVladimir Putin emphasized that Russia had never named Hamas a terrorist group, adding that Russia did not "approve and support everything that Hamas does."[2] Putin was among the first world leaders to congratulate the militant group on their victory in the election.[1]
Since 2006, regular meetings have been held between the Hamas politburo and senior Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials.Khaled Mashal, Hamas's then political leader was hosted on an official visit to Moscow in March 2006.[2] The following year, in 2007, Putin hosted Mashal in Moscow. Mashal praised Putin for his "courage and manliness."[1] In 2020, Russian PresidentDmitry Medvedev met with Mashal.[2]
During theGaza war, Russia condemned both theinitial Hamas attack and Israel's response.[4] Russia maintained relations with both parties and presented itself as a potential mediator.[5]
After theOctober 7 attacks, which initiated the war, Russia condemned the attack as "terrorism".[4] Putin sent condolences to the families of the killed Israelis[6] and said Israel had a right to defend itself, describing the Hamas attack as "unprecedented in its cruelty".[7] He also condemned the subsequent Israeli bombardments of Gaza[8] and called for atwo-state solution to resolve the conflict.[7] Russian UN diplomats later condemned both the Hamas attack on Israel and Israeli shelling of civilian neighborhoods in Gaza.[9] However, Russia voted against a resolution condemning Hamas at theUnited Nations General Assembly.[10]
Some commentators said that Russia has grown closer to Hamas and more hostile to Israel.[1][11][12] According toThe New York Times, Russian state media and leading social networking platforms spread support for Hamas and denigrated Israel and its main ally, the U.S.[13] Putin has said that the war shows "a clear example of the failure of U.S. policy in the Middle East".[14] On 14 October, Hamas thanked Putin for his "position regarding the ongoing Zionist aggression against our people."[15] On 26 October, Moscow hosted a Hamas political delegation, led byMousa Abu Marzook, which Israel condemned as "a reprehensible step that gives support to terrorism and legitimacy to the horrific acts of Hamas terrorists."[16] Amid the war'shostage crisis, Hamas released kidnapped Russian-Israeli dual nationals. Hamas described these actions as a gesture of appreciation for Russia's support for the Palestinian cause.[17][18]
In December 2023, Russia's Foreign MinisterSergey Lavrov said that Israel's stated goals in itsinvasion of Gaza were similar toRussia's stated goals in itsinvasion of Ukraine.[19][20]
Media related toRelations of Russia and Hamas at Wikimedia Commons| History |
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| 2024 Iran–Israel conflict |
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| Iran–Israel war | |
| Hezbollah–Israel conflict |
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| Israeli–Palestinian conflict | |
| Gaza–Israel conflict |
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| Syrian civil war |
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| Red Sea crisis | |
| International incidents |
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| Nuclear program of Iran | |
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