Putin acknowledged Hamas for releasing detainees and pledged to use Russia’s diplomatic ties to secure more releases from Gaza.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted former Israeli-Russian captives at the Kremlin on Wednesday, marking the first such meeting since the start of the war on Gaza.
He expressed appreciation to the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas for the “humanitarian act” in releasing them.
Among those present was Alexander (Sasha) Trufanov, who was released in a prisoner exchange last February.
Trufanov was joined by his mother, Yelena, and his partner, Sapir Cohen, both of whom were released in an earlier deal.
In footage shared by Russian state media, Putin was seen presenting flowers to Yelena and Sapir, and shaking hands with Sasha.
“I think it’s necessary to express words of gratitude to the leadership, to the political wing of Hamas that they acted on our request and committed this action, a humanitarian act, and released you,” Putin said.
Putin credited the release of the captives to Russia’s longstanding relationship with the Palestinian people.
He told Trufanov that his release was “the result of the fact that Russia has stable, many-year relations with the Palestinian people”.
Putin also pledged that Russia would continue working to secure the return of all remaining detainees held in Gaza.
In a televised meeting, Trufanov asked the Russian president, “to continue what you did for me and before (with other captives – PC).”
“We will be working on this, definitely,” Putin replied.
According to Israeli estimates, 59 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, with 24 believed to be alive.
Meanwhile, more than 9,500 Palestinians are currently imprisoned by Israel, based on figures from Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media sources.
Ongoing Genocide
Since Israel’s reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, it has killed and wounded thousands of Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip through a bloody and ongoing aerial bombardment.
On October 7, 2023, following a Palestinian Resistance operation in southern Israel, the Israeli military launched a genocidal war against the Palestinians, killing over 51,000, wounding more than 116,000, with over 14,000 still missing.
Despite habitual condemnation by many countries around the world of the Israeli genocide, little has been done to hold Israel accountable.
Israel is currently under investigation for the crime of genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — are now officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
The Israeli genocide has been largely defended, supported, and financed by Washington and a few other Western powers.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Excellent! Putin is a hero who has kept the world from nuclear annihilation at the hands of my shady corrupt US government. We are the ONLY nation to use nukes in battle. Russia never did that, nor China, Iran, Palestine, Yemen…all of the phantom enemies are innocent of that. Our government murders innocent people in cold blood, then calls everyone else a terrorist. Israeli ZioNazis are the only terrorists in Palestine.
Well a slow hand clap for the mighty midget there. ‘We support Israel’ from what I remember was said to Lavrov.
When you feel like leaving the Kremlin, you could always migrate to Occupied Palestine and run for political office if it is your wont. I’d imagine you’d be popular.