Putin Meets Freed Russian-Israeli Hostages at Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the Kremlin with the Trufanov family, Russian-Israeli nationals recently freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza, publicly thanking Hamas for what he termed a humanitarian act. The family had been abducted during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, with the family patriarch killed and Alexander Trufanov held for nearly 500 days. Putin attributed the release to Russia's longstanding ties with Palestinian organizations and promised to continue efforts to free all remaining hostages, including Israeli citizens. The meeting, attended by Russia's chief rabbi and community leaders, drew international attention given Hamas' terrorist designation by several countries. Putin reiterated support for a two-state solution as the basis for resolving the conflict. He emphasized that Moscow will continue diplomatic efforts to help end the crisis and secure further hostage releases.