A senior Hamas official announced Monday that Alexandre (Sasha) Troufanov, one of two Russian-Israeli hostages held by the terror organization, will be released soon as part of the current hostage deal.
In statements to Russian state media, Mousa Abu Marzouk emphasized that Troufanov's release would be prioritized: "Troufanov will definitely be released soon. The decision has been made to include him in the first phase of the deal. This represents our response to Russia's position on the Palestinian issue."
Addressing the status of Maxim Herkin, the second Russian-Israeli hostage, Abu Marzouk stated that "his fate will be determined in the second phase of the deal with Israel. Hamas is prioritizing his return."
Two weeks ago, Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov revealed evidence suggesting Troufanov's health had seriously deteriorated. "Unfortunately, evidence indicates his condition is poor. We hope his condition will not worsen in the coming days. The Hamas leadership has made a firm commitment to Russia that he will be returned safely under the recently reached agreement," the ambassador stated in an interview with Russia-24 television channel.
Abu Marzouk is currently in Moscow for high-level discussions. According to Russian Arabic-language media outlets, he is leading a delegation in talks with Russian Foreign Ministry officials. Russian media sources reported the senior Hamas official's assertion that Troufanov would be released soon, though no specific timeline was provided.
In October, a delegation headed by Abu Marzouk met with Russian Middle East Envoy and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. During these discussions, Bogdanov underscored Russia's support for both a Gaza ceasefire and a comprehensive hostage deal. The talks specifically addressed the situation of the two Russian-Israeli hostages Troufanov and Herkin.
During a press conference yesterday, Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani urged Israel and Hamas to commence immediate negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire. He noted that "there is currently no clear timeline for the initiation of talks." According to the Gaza ceasefire agreement, discussions regarding the second phase are scheduled to begin today.
