Sasha Troufanov, kidnapped to Gaza during the October 7 massacre, was released Saturday after 498 days in Hamas captivity.
His father Vitaly did not survive the massacre, and his mother Yelena and grandmother Irena were taken captive and released in a November 2023 deal, after 52 days in captivity.
Moving footage shows Sasha's first embrace with his girlfriend and life partner, Sapir, who was kidnapped during the massacre and released in November 2023, and his mother Yelena. "I'm okay," he told them.
Sasha's friends gathered at Kfar Hamaccabiah, tense and expectant ahead of his release and watching the handover to the Red Cross.
His family said: "We are overwhelmed with emotion and thanks for Sasha's return home, after 498 long and torturous days in captivity. On October 7, Sasha was cruelly kidnapped from his home and shot in both legs. To see him today gives us strength and gives us great hope for the long healing process ahead of him. This is a moment of great relief for us, for his friends, and for everyone who held onto hope and prayed for his return. I don't know if he knows that his father, Vitaly, was killed on the seventh [of October 2023]."
The family added: "We want to thank the IDF soldiers, the Hostages Families Forum, and especially all of the citizens of the State of Israel for their embrace, support, and their unyielding faith. The prayers of so many were answered today, and we thank all those who accompanied us on this long journey."
"Until the moment of Sasha's return to Israel, we did not know whether he was aware of the fact that his father, Vitali, was murdered on October 7. That knowledge - or lack of knowledge - will completely change the day of his return, from a day of great joy to one of deep mourning for his beloved father. Finally, Sasha will be surrounded by those who love him and be able to start a new path. We ask all of the media and the public to respect his privacy and the journey of emotional and physical healing that he must go through."