Israeli Hostage Quote Falsely Attributed After Hamas Release

A fabricated quote attributed to an Israeli hostage recently freed from Hamas captivity has been circulating on social media, misleading thousands of users with a fictional account of his time in Gaza.

The viral post, which first appeared on February 15, 2025, and has resurfaced in October, incorrectly identifies the released hostage as “Alexander Turbanov” and claims he made statements sympathizing with his captors following his release. The actual name of the freed hostage is Alexander Troufanov, one of three Israelis released by Hamas during an exchange operation in mid-February.

The fabricated statement, which spread rapidly across Facebook and other platforms, depicts Troufanov praising his captors, claiming they taught him “the true meaning of manhood, pure heroism, and respect for humanity” during his 498 days in captivity. The post falsely suggests Troufanov made these remarks in an official statement that “shocked” Israel.

Investigation reveals the quote originated from Khaled Safi, a social media influencer who posted the text on X (formerly Twitter) alongside an 8-second video clip showing Troufanov being escorted by armed fighters during the prisoner exchange. The clip shows the same scene captured in an Associated Press photo that appeared in a U.S. News & World Report article documenting the release of Troufanov and fellow hostages Iair Horn and Sagui Dekel Chen.

After receiving numerous inquiries about the post’s authenticity, Safi admitted in a follow-up message that the words were not actually spoken by Troufanov. “Notice and clarification: These are not the words of the captive, but rather I wrote them on his behalf, describing his condition, his gratitude, his thanks, and his bowing to the men of the resistance,” Safi wrote.

Despite this clarification, the fabricated quote continued to spread, with many social media users and pages presenting it as authentic testimony from Troufanov himself. The post on Facebook by a page called “Towards Understanding Islam” began with “A MUST READ!!” and presented the fictional statement as fact, contributing to its viral spread.

The exchange of hostages came during a tenuous period in the ongoing conflict, with the ceasefire’s first phase having just two weeks remaining at the time of the February release. The handover of the three Israeli hostages was carried out in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, with the International Committee of the Red Cross facilitating the transfer.

This incident highlights the growing challenge of misinformation during international conflicts, where fabricated quotes and manipulated media can quickly gain traction on social platforms. The rapid spread of this false narrative underscores the importance of verification and fact-checking, particularly for emotionally charged content related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

No official statements from Troufanov about his treatment during captivity have been authenticated in major media reports following his release. The fabricated quote appears designed to shape public perception about the treatment of hostages, but has no basis in the actual words or experiences reported by Troufanov himself.

Media literacy experts recommend verifying information through multiple reliable sources, particularly when encountering dramatic quotes or testimonials related to contentious geopolitical events that seem designed to provoke strong emotional responses.