It remains unclear which hostages will be released on Saturday, but Russia has been actively pressuring Hamas to release one of its citizens taken captive during the October 7 attacks.
MORE HOSTAGES SET TO BE RELEASED SATURDAY
(קרדיט: ILTV)
Hamas has stated that it plans to release Russian-Israeli citizen Alexander Sasha Trufanov "in the near future," specifically as part of the first phase of the ongoing ceasefire hostage deal. Trufanov is listed among the 33 hostages set to be released in this initial stage.
Russia has maintained working relations with Hamas and has strengthened its ties with the group since the October 7 massacre. The 29-year-old Trufanov was kidnapped alongside three family members from Kibbutz Nir Oz, while his father was murdered that day. His relatives were freed in November 2023.
In the same month, Palestinian Islamic Jihad published a propaganda video featuring Trufanov.
So far, 18 hostages and five Thai nationals have been freed. Fifteen more hostages remain in captivity, including eight bodies that have yet to be recovered.
U.S. Policy Could Impact Phase Two of Hostage Deal
There are growing concerns that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the U.S. potentially taking control of Gaza could undermine phase two of the hostage deal. This next phase, which aims to secure the release of the remaining hostages— all men— was already expected to be a difficult transition. Officials now warn that these remarks could further complicate negotiations.