Israel Summons Russian Ambassador "As a Protest, Not a Rebuke"

Israel summoned the Russian ambassador today, Sunday, to express its protest regarding Moscow's hosting of a delegation from Hamas last week. The attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of at least 1,400 people, igniting the war in Gaza. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that senior officials informed Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov that the invitation extended to Hamas "sends a message that legitimizes terrorism against Israelis." The summoning was described as a protest rather than a rebuke. Russia characterized its hosting of Hamas as an effort to maintain communication with all parties in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.