FILE PHOTO: Al-Jazeera correspondent Wael Dahdouh, center, prays over the bodies of his wife, son, daughter, and grandson, killed in an Israeli airstrike on Nuisserat refugee camp, outside a hospital in Deir al Balah, south of the Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. AP
Russia has good relations with Hamas, which it does not consider to be a terror group, and has begun a diplomatic effort to try to free captives held in Gaza.
"From the Russian side, via the foreign ministry, we received a list of citizens that have dual citizenship," senior Hamas representative Moussa Abu Marzook was cited as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.
"We are looking for those people... It is hard but we are looking. And when we find them, we will let them go."
"We are very attentive to this list and will process it carefully because we consider Russia to be the closest friend," he said.
"About the peaceful citizens that were taken and that are now in Gaza, we treat them as guests."
Israel has said more than 200 people were taken captive by Hamas during its massive attack on Israel earlier this month.
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