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Russian National Trufanov’s mother thanks Russia for his release from Gaza captivity

"Sasha is back safe and sound. I am happy. My son was shot in his both legs and the fact that he is walking is a real miracle," she said and thanked Israeli lawmakers who supported the hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal

TEL AVIV, February 16. /TASS/. Elena Trufanova, the mother of Russian and Israeli national Alexander Trufanov who has been released from Hamas captivity, has thanked Moscow for its efforts to have her son freed.

"I am thankful for the efforts by the Russian authorities and, in particular, the Russian ambassador to Israel [Anatoly Viktorov]. I ask the Russian government to continue its work toward the immediate release of [Donbass native] Maxim Kharkin and all other hostages," the Ynet portal quoted her as saying.

"Sasha is back safe and sound. I am happy. My son was shot in his both legs and the fact that he is walking is a real miracle," she said and thanked Israeli lawmakers who supported the hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal.

Alexander Trufanov, Elena Trufanova, his grandmother Irina Tatti, and his bride Sapir Cohen were abducted by Palestinian radicals during an attack on Kibbutz Niz Or in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Trufanov’s father, Vitaly, was killed by militants during the attack. Elena Trufanova, Irina Tatti, and Sapir Cohen were released under a temporary ceasefire deal in late November and early December 2023.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Saturday that Trufanov, along with two Israeli hostages, was freed after 500 days in captivity by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, as part of the ceasefire agreement in the enclave and safely arrived in Israel.

Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov met with Trufanov on February 15 and handed over to him a new Russian passport to replace his expired one.

On the same day, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow would continue efforts to have Donbass native Kharkin released as soon as possible.

In mid-January, Israel and Hamas reached an Egypt-, Qatar-, and US-brokered agreement to release the hostages held in Gaza and declare a ceasefire in the enclave. The three-phase deal took effect on January 19. During the initial 42-day phase, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

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