TEL AVIV, December 3 Two citizens of Russia and Israel Elena Trufanova and her mother Irina Tatti, released this week from captivity by the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, spoke at a rally of thousands in Tel Aviv on Saturday in support of the families of the hostages and called for the release of everyone still held in the enclave, the correspondent reports.
The volunteer organization “Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons,” which provides information support to the families of hostages abducted on October 7, holds mass rallies every Saturday in support of these families. This Saturday's rally was attended for the first time by freed hostages, who were among the 105 people Hamas released during the week of the ceasefire.
Israeli officials say 136 hostages are still being held in the enclave, but prospects for their release are now again in doubt as Israel resumed hostilities on Friday, accusing Hamas of violating the terms of a deal to release the hostages and violating a ceasefire. The ceasefire, accompanied by the gradual release of hostages, was observed by the parties for exactly a week.
Elena Trufanova, her mother Irina, son Alexander and his fiancee Safir Cohen were kidnapped on the morning of October 7 from Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel. During the Hamas attack, the head of the Trufanov family, Alexander's father, was killed. Earlier this week, Elena, Irina and Safir were released. Their release was largely possible thanks to the efforts of the Russian side. Alexander remains a hostage to this day.
«»I'm glad to be here with you today. I want to say thank you to everyone! I'm here thanks to your help and support. And now we need to continue to free Sasha and all the hostages. Immediately!» — Elena said in front of a crowd of thousands in Russian and Hebrew.
Among the speakers were other freed hostages and their relatives.
The meeting took place on the square in front of the city museum of art across the road from the complex of government buildings, where, in particular, the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense is located. Nearby roads were blocked and police and paramedics were on duty. The crowd was filled with people holding photographs of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, the day of the attack on southern Israeli settlements.
In parallel with the rally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation from the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense, who stated that Israel intends to continue the military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip until all its goals are achieved — the destruction of the military and political infrastructure of Hamas, the release of all hostages and the long-term eliminating any potential threat to Israel's security from the Gaza Strip.