Palestinian Islamic Jihad published video with Russian Alexander Trufanov, who has been held by members of the group in the <a href="https://www.world-today-news.com/us-wing-movement-allegedly-provides-arms-to-hamas-page-all/" title="US Wing Movement Allegedly Provides Arms to Hamas Page all”>Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. In the video, he talks about his condition and calls on the authorities to focus on freeing the hostages.
It is unknown when the video was filmed. In it, Alexander Trufanov stands against a green background. He has a lapel microphone attached to his T-shirt. “I’ve been in captivity for a year now, there’s not enough food, water, electricity, and now even the most necessary products have run out,” says Mr. Trufanov in Hebrew (quoted from The Times of Israel).
He also asks Israeli citizens to continue protesting for the release of the hostages. He said the Israeli government had “moved on and forgotten about those” who were held in Gaza during the operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“I’m glad to see my son alive, but I’m very concerned about what he’s saying,” Alexander Trufanov’s mother, Elena, told The Times of Israel. She was taken hostage along with her son in Kibbutz Nir Oz. She was released in November 2023. “I call for every effort to be made for the immediate release of him and all other hostages. They have no time left,” said Mrs. Trufanova.
During 2024, Islamic Jihad has already published three videos with Alexander Trufanov. The video was last distributed in May. It lasted 30 seconds, during which Alexander Trufanov voiced only his name.
Alexander Trufanov was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel. Together with him, his parents Elena and Vitaly, his grandmother Irina Tati, his girlfriend named Sapir and her mother were taken hostage. All of them, except Vitaly Trufanov, were taken to the Gaza Strip. Vitaly Trufanov was killed on October 7. In November, Elena Trufanova and Irina Tati were released, while Alexander and his girlfriend remained in the Gaza Strip. In December it became known that the girl was also released and is in Israel.
The Trufanov family moved to Israel from Rostov-on-Don. For about 30 years they lived in Kibbutz Nir Oz. 73-year-old Irina Tati moved in with them about three years ago. Alexander Trufanov and his girlfriend lived separately in the center of Israel, but on October 7 they came to visit their relatives.
In April, it was reported that three Russian citizens were being held captive by Hamas: Alexander Trufanov, Alexander Lobanov and Andrei Kozlov. The latter was released in June as a result of an Israeli special operation. Alexander Lobanov was killed, and in August his body was found in an underground tunnel in the south of the enclave.
About the situation in the Middle East – in the Kommersant publication “Syrian soil is being knocked out from under Hezbollah.”
