Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday that destroying Hamas was an unrealistic Israeli goal.
Lavrov said there was no end in sight for the bloodshed in Gaza, speaking to reporters during a visit to Malaysia. "Israel says through Netanyahu that the war will not end until Hamas is completely eradicated. In my opinion, and that of many of my partners, that is an unrealistic mission. Hamas continues to exist and has sufficient capabilities and support including in the Muslim world," he said.
The Russian minister said Israel was preventing a cease-fire agreement to end the fighting in Gaza and said certain countries were attempting to offer compromises. He said he though it wrong not to include the Palestinians in those efforts "We will continue to help them rebuild their unity," he said.
Lavrov's comments come at a time when Israeli-Russian relations are fraught after Moscow forged a military alliance with Iran. Tehran supplied the Russians with drones for their war in Ukraine and officials in Jerusalem were concerned over what the Russians would offer the Iranians in return.
Israel was considering the supply of Patriot missiles to Ukraine to be delivered by the U.S.
The diplomatic ties with Russia also suffered after senior members of Hamas were received by the Kremlin after the October 7 massacre, a move the Foreign Ministry said was bolstering Hamas despite the atrocities it committed.