Russia Invites All Palestinian Factions to Moscow, Palestinian PM: We are Ready to Work Together, If Hamas is Not Ready, It's a Different Story

JAKARTA - The Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority (PA) is ready to cooperate with the Hamas group, as Russia invites all Palestinian factions to meet in Moscow, said Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh Sunday.

PM Shtayyeh said the meeting in Moscow was planned to be held at the end of February. According to him, the PA, which is dominated by Fatah, is still seeking unity with Hamas, but there are several conditions, including an understanding of issues related to resistance.

"We will see if Hamas is ready to take action with us, we are ready to get involved. If Hamas is not ready to take action with us, that's another story. But we need Palestinian unity," said the prime minister, as reported by CNN, February 19.

When pressed about the Hamas group's attack on Israel on October 7, PM Shtayyeh said "we cannot possibly accept the killing of innocent people."

Previously, state news agency TASS quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as reporting last week that Russia had invited all Palestinian factions to hold 'inter-Palestinian' talks next week.

"We invite all Palestinian representatives, all political forces who have their respective positions in various countries, including Syria, Lebanon, and other countries in the region," said Bogdanov, who is President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for the Middle East, as quoted from Arab News.

It was said that those invited included militant groups Hamas and Israeli Jihad, as well as representatives of Fatah and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

It is known that the Hamas group has long been involved in a political war with the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank and is involved in security coordination with Israel.

Hamas sees itself as the "true resistance" that is "really doing something". Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority is "basically asleep," said Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and director of the Palestine and Israel Program last October.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said the death toll of Palestinians in the enclave had reached 28,985, while 68,883 others were injured, citing Xinhua.

The report added that several victims remained under the rubble amid heavy bombing and a lack of civil defense and ambulance crews.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously called for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Moscow having repeatedly criticized Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attack.

These public statements, coupled with Russia's partnerships with Iran and Hamas, have soured Russian-Israeli relations since the conflict broke out.