'Humanitarian act': Putin thanks Hamas for release of Russian hostages, hosts ex-hostages at Kremlin
Vladimir Putin met three Russian hostages freed by Hamas at the Kremlin on April 16. Putin thanked the Hamas leadership for what he called a 'humanitarian act' in releasing Alexander Trufanov, his mother Elena Trufanova, and his fiancee Sapir Cohen. The trio had been kidnapped during Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.