Some weapons used by Hamas came from Russia, Israeli gov't official says

National Unity Party MK Ze'ev Elkin claimed that he thinks some of the weapons used by Hamas on the October 7 massacre came from Russia in a Wednesday interview with 103FM.

"I'm not sure that they know exactly how it got there, intentionally or unintentionally, or through all kinds of intermediaries," he said after being asked if Israel had information about Russian involvement in the murderous attack by Hamas.

"But what we do know is that these Hamas terrorists were trained in Syria and Lebanon by Hezbollah and the Iranians," he continued. "And it is clear that there is very close cooperation between the Russians and the Iranians in Syria."

Elkin continued to say that Israel has no interest in a war in the North while it is fighting against Hamas in the south.

"We said it loud and clear, we prefer to manage a war in one center rather than two. Is it entirely up to us? Of course not."

Elkin: "Whoever's ready to murder our children is also ready to murder their own children"

Elkin also referred to the rocket fired by the Islamic Jihad that hit a hospital in Gaza, stating that "whoever is ready to murder our children is also ready to murder their own children."

Regarding the members of his party joining the emergency government, Elkin also said that "without a doubt, we influence all decisions both in the limited cabinet, in the political and security cabinets, and also on the issue of dealing with the citizens who have been harmed in Israel." 

He later referred to Russia's position, clarifying: "I have been warning for a long time that we need to realize that Russia has changed the rules of the game. It has created a strategic alliance with Iran around the war in Ukraine, and just as the Iranians are helping the Russians there, Russia is helping Iran in other places.

"Very difficult things are happening with Russia, including some of the statements of the Russian president who compared what is happening in Gaza to the Second World War, as well as Russia's decision to send their deputy foreign minister to meet the leaders of Hamas after their terrible massacre of children and women."

"Unfortunately, in response to this event, Russia is in the wrong place, and this is also a reminder to each of us who thought it was right to maneuver between the Russians and the Americans. In times of trouble, you see who your true friend is and who isn't, and I was aware of this for a long time. 

"I think the Russian decision to send the deputy foreign minister to meet the leaders of Hamas should be condemned completely," Elkin emphasized.