Putin voices ‘gratitude’ to Hamas following Russian captive release
(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly expressed gratitude to Hamas' political leadership for the release of Russian-Israeli citizen Aleksandr Trufanov. The freed hostage met with Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday, following his February release during a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, which was facilitated in part by Russian diplomatic efforts. Two other hostages were also released at the time.
Putin thanked Hamas' political wing for cooperating and called the release a “humanitarian act.” Trufanov had been taken hostage during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, along with his grandmother Irena Tati, mother Elena, and fiancée Sapir Cohen. His father, Vitaly Trufanov, was killed during the attack. The women were freed in November 2023, while Aleksandr spent 498 days in captivity.
Putin noted that Trufanov’s release was made possible due to Russia’s longstanding relationships with the Palestinian people and various groups in the region. He assured that Russia will continue its efforts to help secure the release of other hostages.
In early February, less than two weeks before Trufanov's release, a Hamas delegation led by senior official Mousa Abu Marzouk visited Moscow. The group met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian matters, as part of Russia’s broader involvement in Middle East diplomacy.
The October 7 attack by Hamas resulted in around 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 people being taken hostage. Since then, over 51,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza during Israel’s ongoing military campaign, according to local health authorities.
On the same day as Putin’s remarks, Israel proposed a 45-day ceasefire to enable further hostage releases and open the door to indirect negotiations with Hamas aimed at ending the conflict. Hamas stated it is currently reviewing the proposal.
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