claim:
Freed Israeli prisoner Alexander Turbanov issued a statement praising his captors in October 2025, saying in part: “Your kindness will remain etched in my soul forever. I spent 498 days among you. Despite the oppression and aggression you endured, I learned from you the true meaning of manhood, pure courage, humanity and respect for values.”
classification:
Rating: Incorrect attribution
Context:
According to international news reports, Turbanov was a real person, although they used the name Alexander “Sasha” Trufanov. However, the quote originated from a Palestinian social media influencer who wrote it from Trufanov’s point of view. Additionally, he was released in February 2025; Therefore, he was not among the prisoners returned in October 2025 as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
In October 2025, Israel and Hamas I agreed to a ceasefire Which entered into force on October 10. The agreement saw Hamas release the last surviving Israeli hostages it captured on October 7, 2023, in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners. The agreement also led to a halt in Two-year conflictany Leave Much of Gaza In ruins.
After the exchange, some social media users claimed that one of the released Israeli hostages praised his captors for the way they treated him. For example, one Instagram user(ArchivedA hostage named Alexander Turbanov issued a statement describing the “kindness”, “humanity” and “respect” he experienced while in prison.
The quote also appeared On X (Archived) and Facebook. Last post with another Share X (ArchivedHe added that Turbanov made the statement after the prisoners were released in October 2025. The full alleged statement read:
Your kindness will remain engraved in my soul forever. I spent 498 days with you. Despite the injustice and aggression I endured, I learned from you the true meaning of manhood, pure courage, humanity, and respect for values. Even in captivity, I was free, while I was free, a prisoner. You have protected my life. Just as a father treats his children with love, I cared about my dignity, health and honor.
Even though I was in the hands of people fighting for their stolen land and freedom, and while my government was committing the worst genocide against a beleaguered nation, you neither starved me nor insulted me.
I saw the true meaning of manhood in your eyes. I have understood the value of sacrifice by living among you. I saw you smiling even in the face of death, in the face of an enemy armed with weapons of mass destruction, and you only have your bodies.
And even if I tried, I could not find the words that truly express your worth and status, or reflect my astonishment and admiration at your noble character.
Does your faith really teach you to treat prisoners this way? How great is that faith that raises you to this level where all positive human rights laws collapse, and all war protocols pale before your example.
Even in the most difficult times, your justice and mercy stood out, not just as slogans, but in your actual behavior. You never compromise on your principles, no matter how dark the circumstances.
Believe me, if I return, I will live among you as a loyal student, because I learned the truth from your people. I have realized that you are not only the owners of the land, but the owners of principles and justice.
Turbanov, a freed Israeli-Russian prisoner — whose name was spelled Alexander “Sasha” Trufanov in Russian and Israeli media — was a real person, according to international news reports (it’s not clear why Turbanov’s name was circulating on social media, though it could have been an alternative translation — Snopes will continue this article with Trufanov’s name). However, he was not among the prisoners released in October 2025, and this statement was never issued. Trufanov had already been released months earlier in February. We have incorrectly classified this claim.
Original quote
Khaled Safi, a Palestinian social media influencer, was the real source of the quote. Sorry to publish The clip in Arabic is on the X (Archived) in February 2025. Although the social media platform’s automatic translation was not verbatim, it more or less matched the quote attributed to Trufanov in October.
in numerous Follow up Supports (Archived, Archived, ArchivedSafi clarified that the lyrics were his own and not Trufanov’s, although he said he wrote them from Trufanov’s point of view.
Multiple international News media outlets I mentioned That Trufanov was among the Israeli prisoners Released In February 2025. The Israeli army’s Facebook page as well to publish A video shows Trufanov reuniting with his family that month. Therefore, he was not among the Israeli prisoners released in October.
Trufanov spoke publicly at least twice between the time of his release and the time of the release of the remaining hostages in October, according to Israeli media reports. Both times, once He walks And once in AprilTrufanov called for the release of the remaining hostages, saying this should be a national priority above the complete defeat of Hamas. It was not possible to find any evidence indicating the conditions he lived in while in captivity on either occasion.
In April 2025, while Trufanov and his family met with Russian President Vladimir Putin Highlight His country’s role in securing Trufanov’s release He said that he believes “we must express our gratitude to the leaders of Hamas and its political wing for fulfilling our request and making this gesture.” Trufanov himself did not express similar sentiments, instead focusing once again on calling for the release of the remaining hostages.
For further reading, Snopes has checked several facts Claims About the war between Israel and Hamas.
sources:
Finally together. After 16 months, Alexander (Sasha) Trufanov was reunited with his family. israeli Defense Forces, https://www.facebook.com/reel/468160262894249.
Fox, Nina. “Ex-hostage in Rom Braslavsky video: ‘His eyes are not the same.’” Ynetglobal, April 18, 2025, www.ynetnews.com/article/bkthyokjeg. Accessed October 17, 2025.
“The Gaza War in Maps and Satellite Images – BBC News”. news, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-217c6a28-4a90-4d47-a91c-13113a7dc7db. Accessed 17 October 2025.
Graham Harrison, Emma, et al. “Visual evidence of the destruction of Gaza.” The Guardian, January 18, 2025. World News. guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/18/a-visual-guide-to-the-destruction-of-gaza.
Kempinski, Uni. “Sasha Trufanov speaks for the first time since his release”. israel national news, https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404695. Accessed 17 October 2025.
“Meeting with the Trufanov family.” Kremlin.ru, 16 Apr. 2025, en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/76694. Accessed 17 October 2025.
Moscow (AFP). “Putin meets with Russian-Israeli hostage released by Hamas.” France 24, April 17, 2025, https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250417-putin-meets-russian-israeli-hostage-released-by-hamas.
newsroom. https://newsroom.ap.org/editorial-photos-videos/detail?itemid=7ee8f6ccb505470487607763561c6454&mediatype=video. Accessed 17 October 2025.
Russian citizen Alexander Trufanov released from Hamas captivity. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/russian-citizen-alexander-trufanov-released-from-hamas-captivity/3483228. Accessed 17 October 2025.
Safi, Khaled. “Safi X Post about Quote Origins.” X (formerly Twitter)15 February 2025, x.com/khaledSafi/status/1890820463833612646. Accessed 17 October 2025.