Israeli Hostage Alexander Turbanov’s Alleged Statement About Captors Under Scrutiny

In a significant development ending a protracted hostage crisis, the final Israeli captives from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack were released in October 2025 as part of a ceasefire agreement. The deal, which took effect on October 10, also included the release of Palestinian prisoners and brought a pause to the devastating two-year conflict that left Gaza largely in ruins.

In the aftermath of these releases, misleading information began circulating on social media platforms regarding one of the freed hostages. Several posts claimed that an Israeli-Russian captive named Alexander Turbanov issued a statement praising his Hamas captors for their humane treatment during his imprisonment.

The viral quote, which appeared on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), portrayed Turbanov expressing deep gratitude toward his captors. The alleged statement included lines such as “Your kindness will forever be etched on my soul” and “Despite the oppression and aggression you endured, I learned from you the true meaning of manhood, pure bravery, humanity, and respect for values.”

The extensive quote also purportedly showed Turbanov praising his captors’ faith and principles while criticizing his own government’s actions in Gaza.

However, investigation reveals multiple inaccuracies in these claims. The individual in question is Alexander “Sasha” Trufanov (not Turbanov, as widely misreported), an Israeli-Russian citizen who was indeed held captive by Hamas. But contrary to social media claims, Trufanov was not part of the October 2025 prisoner exchange. International news reports confirm he was actually released eight months earlier, in February 2025.

More significantly, the quote attributed to Trufanov was never uttered by him. The actual source was Khaled Safi, a Palestinian social media influencer who posted the passage in Arabic on X in February 2025. Safi later clarified in multiple follow-up posts that the words were his own creation, written from what he imagined might be Trufanov’s perspective, not an actual statement from the former hostage.

Israeli military sources confirmed Trufanov’s February 2025 release, with the Israel Defense Forces even posting a video on Facebook showing his emotional family reunion that month. This definitively places his release well before the October exchange.

Trufanov did make public appearances between his release and the October ceasefire. In March and April 2025, he spoke publicly advocating for the remaining hostages’ release, emphasizing this should be Israel’s priority over the military defeat of Hamas. Notably, in these verified public statements, Trufanov made no comments resembling the viral quote about his treatment in captivity.

During an April 2025 meeting with Trufanov and his family, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted Russia’s role in securing his release and expressed gratitude to Hamas leaders for accommodating their request. However, Trufanov himself focused exclusively on advocating for the remaining hostages rather than commenting on his treatment.

The misattribution of Safi’s creative writing to Trufanov demonstrates how quickly misinformation can spread during sensitive geopolitical events. The Israel-Hamas conflict has been particularly susceptible to such misleading content, with numerous claims requiring fact-checking throughout the two-year crisis.

The October 2025 ceasefire agreement marked a significant moment in the long-running conflict, bringing relief to families of hostages while creating a pause in hostilities that had caused extensive casualties and destruction across Gaza.