The two sides, together with Russia and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe signed a peace deal in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, in September, in which they agreed to withdraw troops from the front line and exchange prisoners. The shaky ceasefire led to an easing of the conflict but skirmishes were still frequent. A second truce, agreed last month, quickly crumbled.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Khaled Meshaal, the Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, Monday in Doha, Qatar. The two men discussed the inter-Palestinian reconciliation issue, and the overall situation in the Middle East. Photo by Iurii Osadchi / Shutterstock.com

DOHA, Qatar, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Khaled Meshaal, the Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, Monday in Doha, Qatar.

The two men discussed the inter-Palestinian reconciliation issue, and the overall situation in the Middle East.


The Russian foreign minister also invited Meshaal to Moscow but a date has not been set. Russia reiterated that diplomatic talks between Israel and the Palestinians must include Hamas.

"We would like to see the Palestinians -- all of them -- to have their permanent home," Lavrov said,