A hostage video was released by a terrorist group in Gaza on Tuesday, showing Israeli Amazon employee Sasha Troufanov who was kidnapped during Hamas's attacks on October 7th and has been held in Gaza since then. Troufanov, a computer engineer with Annapurna Labs, an Amazon subsidiary, appeared in the video wearing a polo shirt and addressed the Israeli public and protesters. He mentioned that the truth about his situation and other prisoners in Gaza would be revealed in the coming days.
Troufanov is being held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and urged people to wait patiently for more information. The Hostages & Missing Families Forum called for the Israeli government to negotiate for the return of all hostages, living and deceased. Troufanov was one of the many individuals abducted by Hamas during the attacks, which resulted in many casualties.
Amazon employees in Israel have shown support for Troufanov, but are reportedly frustrated with the company's management for not making a public statement about his abduction. Troufanov's father was killed during the attacks, while his mother, grandmother, and girlfriend were previously released by Hamas as part of a truce with the Israeli government.
Seven months after his abduction, Troufanov remains captive in Gaza. Jewish employees at Amazon around the world have expressed a desire to mark the number of days Troufanov has been held captive on company grounds. The situation continues to unfold, with calls for negotiations and support for Troufanov from various parties involved.