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Russian-Israeli hostage Sasha Trufanov is in unstable condition.
In an interview with state-run 24 TV Station, Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov claims that the 28-year-old was wounded during his abduction on October 7 but has assurance from Hamas that he will be released “alive and healthy.”
“His state of health is not entirely satisfactory,” Viktorov said during the broadcast. “We hope that for the remaining few days, his health will not deteriorate.”
Trufanov was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’s infamous massacre along with his mother, grandmother, and girlfriend. His father was killed during the assault.
While his family members were released as part of a short-lived ceasefire in November 2023, Trufanov has remained in captivity, appearing in two propaganda videos released by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
According to Viktorov, Trufanov’s release is expected within the next 3-4 weeks as part of the broader hostage deal framework.
He is among 33 hostages scheduled for release during the first six-week phase of the ceasefire, which prioritizes those in the “humanitarian” category including women, children, elderly, and wounded individuals.
This coming Saturday, four Israeli women hostages are scheduled to be released in exchange for a second round of Arab prisoners, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu tells AFP.
Additional groups of three are expected to be released on days 14 and 21, with three more on day 28, another three on day 35, and the remaining 14 hostages in the final week.
Seven female hostages remain from the initial group of 33 slated for release during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. These women are Arbel Yehud (29), Shiri Silberman Bibas (33), Liri Albag (19), Karina Ariev (20), Agam Berger (21), Danielle Gilboa (20), and Naama Levy (20).
Under the 42-day ceasefire agreement, Hamas has 24 hours to notify Israel of the names of those being released 24 hours in advance.
In this Sunday’s exchange that saw hostages Emily Damari (28), Romi Gonen (24), and Doron Steinbrecher (31) freed, Hamas was late in delivering the names beforehand. It nearly derailed nearly a year and a half of negotiations.
