Hamas: Two Russian hostages will be the first released under ceasefire agreement
Two hostages with dual Russian and Israeli nationality will be the first to be released once the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip comes into force. This was stated by the number two of the Hamas political office, Musa Abu Marzoukduring an interview with the news agency Ria Novosti after a meeting in Moscow with the Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov. ”We are waiting for Israel to accept a ceasefire” and ”as soon as there is a decision on the matter, the two Russians will be the first to be released. We are waiting for the fighting to calm down and there will be an opportunity to take these people and release them,” Abu Marzouk added. The two hostages he refers to are Alexander Lobanov, 32-year-old Russian-Israeli citizen kidnapped at music festival in Negev desert attacked by Hamas, and Alexander Trupanov, 28 years old, allegedly in the hands of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad who published a video of him in May. Second YnetLobanov’s wife gave birth to their second child in February, while her husband was held hostage.
“We do not have hostages people with only Russian citizenship, but only Israeli citizens. Most have dual citizenship, Mexican, American, Ukrainian and others,” Abu Marzouk told the Russian news agency. “Previously, when there was an exchange ”with Palestinian detainees, ”we released a Russian citizen out of the agreement as thanks to President Vladimir Putin for his position on Palestine,” the official added Hamas.
