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Middle East conflict

Gaza radicals release new video of hostage calling himself Alexander Trufanov

The young man, speaking in Hebrew says that he is "all right" despite continued Israeli bombardments

CAIRO, May 30. /TASS/. The military wing of the radical Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, Saraya al-Quds, has released a new video featuring a young man who introduces himself as Alexander Trufanov. The video was uploaded to the Gaza radicals' Telegram channel.

The young man, speaking in Hebrew says that he is "all right" despite continued Israeli bombardments.

On May 28, Saraya al-Quds released a video in which one of the hostages, a young man who identified himself as Alexander Trufanov, made a statement.

It is not specified when the videos published by the radicals were recorded.

On February 8, Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berl Lazar said after a meeting of Jewish community leaders with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the head of state intended to use all his influence and connections to solve the problem of hostages in Gaza in the near future. The president, in particular, has all information about the three Russian hostages in the conflict zone, Berl Lazar said. He noted that "the president has his finger on the pulse."

"He has all the information about the hostages who have Russian citizenship. There are three of them. Alexander Trufanov is only one of them," said Russia’s chief rabbi.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking hostages.

Israel first announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and delivered air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria and then began a ground operation in the enclave. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.

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