Did Alexander Turbanov, an Israeli man who was held prisoner by Hamas, make a statement sympathizing with his captors upon his release? No, that’s not true: This made-up quote went viral on Feb. 15, 2025 and resurfaced in Oct. 2025. The man in question is not named Turbanov, his name is Alexander Troufanov. The quote attributed to Troufanov was posted on X by social media influencer Khaled Safi, who clarified in a follow-up post that he wrote these words “on his behalf”.<\/span><\/p>\n The made-up quote appeared in a post<\/a> (archived here<\/a>) published on Facebook on Feb. 16, 2025 by the page Towards Understanding Islam<\/span>. The post begins:<\/p>\n A MUST READ!!<\/p>\n Today, the Israeli prisoner Alexander Turbanov, who was released, made a statement that shocked the occupying Israel:<\/p>\n “Your kindness has been engraved in my conscience forever. During the 498 days I lived among you, despite the aggression and crimes you endured, I learned the true meaning of manhood, pure heroism, and respect for humanity and values.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing:<\/p>\n Image source: Lead Stories screenshot from facebook.com\/share\/p\/1Chr9PtU8c.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Alexander Turbanov is not the name of the hostage who was released on Feb. 15, 2025. A photo of the exchange ceremony for the three hostages appears in a US News & World Report article<\/a> (archived here<\/a>) titled, “Israel and Hamas Complete Their Latest Exchange as Ceasefire’s First Phase Has Just 2 Weeks Left”. Troufanov is pictured wearing a red hoodie. The photo caption reads:<\/p>\n Israeli hostages Iair Horn, 46, left, Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, center left, and Alexander Troufanov, 29, right, are escorted by Hamas and islamic Jihad fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Abdel Kareem Hana)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
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