Tunis, November 26 – In a statement released on their Telegram channel, Hamas announced that they have released a Russian hostage as a token of gratitude for Russia’s position in support of the Palestinian cause. The publication highlighted the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin and acknowledged Russia’s support for the Palestinian cause. Later, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed this information, stating that the Russian citizen was handed over to representatives of the Red Cross. She emphasized that his release was made outside the exchange list, thanks to direct agreements between Moscow and Hamas. Zakharova noted that this work will continue. Later, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that the released Russian citizen’s name is Ron Olegovich Krivoy. On Wednesday, it was announced that Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, reached their first major agreement since the escalation of the conflict on October 7th. The parties agreed to a four-day ceasefire to exchange dozens of hostages and detainees held by each other. The ceasefire began on Friday morning and can last a maximum of ten days. As part of the agreement, 200 trucks carrying humanitarian aid and four trucks with fuel and domestic gas will enter the Gaza Strip daily. Additionally, during this time, up to 100 Israeli hostages can be released in two stages in exchange for 300 Palestinian prisoners. The first four days are expected to see the return of 50 captives. Hamas has already released 13 hostages, including women and children. In return, Israel has released two groups of Palestinian prisoners. It is known that Hamas currently holds over 200 Israeli captives. According to the Russian Embassy, during the escalation of the conflict, 20 Russians died, two were taken hostage, and seven are missing.
