Over the years, some Russian-made weapons—such as anti-tank and shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles— have made their way into Gaza, likely via Iran. But so far, there is no clear evidence that Russia supported Hamas in planning or executing its surprise attack on Israel.

In short: Russia tried for years to mediate peace talks among Palestinian groups like Hamas and the PLO, while Russian weapons reaching Hamas through Iran and they are currently benefiting from the Western focus on Israel and divert attention from the Ukraine conflict.

It’s surprising how the Hamas attack has unfolded, but it’s clear that terror states like Iran, Russia, and China are leveraging this situation for their military interests.