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Russia’s longtime relations with Palestine help release Russians in Gaza, Putin says

"I think we should express our gratitude to the leadership, the political wing of Hamas for agreeing to meet us halfway and performing this act, a humanitarian act of releasing you," he added

© Sergey Karpukhin/TASS

MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. The return of Russians from captivity in Gaza has been possible thanks to Russia's long-standing relations with the Palestinian people, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Alexander Trufanov, who was released from Gaza in February.

"The fact that you were restored to liberty is the result of Russia’s stable long-standing relations with the Palestinian people, their representatives, and various organizations," Putin said. "I think we should express our gratitude to the leadership, the political wing of Hamas for agreeing to meet us halfway and performing this act, a humanitarian act of releasing you," he added.

"Of course, we will do everything to ensure that such acts are performed as often as possible and all the people who are still in those conditions, in which you have spent so much time - that they are also released," the Russian president emphasized.

"Thank God you are safe and sound, and here. Right now, I’m not going to give any political assessments to the current developments. But everything that has happened to you is a tragedy," he added, addressing Trufanov and his family members.

Gaza-based Palestinian radicals took Alexander Trufanov, his mother Yelena, grandmother Irina Tati and fiancee Sapir Cohen hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Alexander’s father Vitaly was killed. Yelena Trufanova, Tati and Cohen were freed in late November and early December 2023, while Alexander Trufanov was released in mid-February 2025.

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Foreign policy Vladimir Putin Palestine

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