The official briefing from Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicated that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) verified the transfer of two Russian women who had been held by the Hamas movement. This claim was reported by TASS, the Russian state news agency, and later echoed by various international outlets that monitor ceasefire and hostage situations in Gaza and surrounding areas. The statement underscores the ICRC’s role in confirming who has been moved between sides and where they were taken, a process that often involves careful verification amid rapidly shifting developments on the ground.
Zakharova identified the two transferred individuals as Irina Aleksandrovna Tatti and Elena Yulianovna Trufanova, noting that the ICRC confirmed their handover by Hamas. The briefing stressed that both women are related, described as mother and daughter, which adds a personal dimension to what is often framed in terms of political and strategic considerations in Gaza. The confirmation by the ICRC is presented as a key humanitarian touchpoint in a conflict where civilian safety and family reunification are deeply sensitive issues.
Earlier reports described the two women’s release as taking place at the Gaza Strip–Egyptian border near the Rafah crossing. According to those reports, the released individuals were moved to the Egyptian side after being transferred from Hamas control. Media coverage from television channels indicated that the group included individuals with dual Russian and Israeli citizenship, providing a complex backdrop to the broader hostage-release negotiations that have periodically emerged in regional reporting. Observers and reporters also noted that a larger group, including several Israeli captives, remained in Gaza and had not yet been handed over to Egyptian authorities at that time, highlighting the often fragmented and time-sensitive nature of such operations.
From a broader perspective, Israeli media coverage has sometimes focused on the personal stories behind hostage releases, including relatives left behind and the ongoing plight of those still detained. In one instance cited by observers, Elena Trufanova’s family situation was described as a factor in ongoing discussions about the safety and welfare of released and remaining detainees. The complexity of information on the ground—where different sources may report slightly different timelines or details—has made formal confirmations from humanitarian organizations a central element in understanding what has occurred and what may come next in future rounds of releases.
Public commentary from political leaders in the region has reflected the ongoing tension surrounding Hamas and its operations. Statements from high-level officials have repeatedly linked hostage releases to broader security objectives and the resolution of ongoing hostilities. In this context, the pledge by regional leaders to pursue stabilizing outcomes—while continuing to address the legal and humanitarian obligations toward civilians and detainees—appears to frame any future steps within a larger strategy to reduce violence and facilitate access for humanitarian aid and international monitors. The situation remains fluid, with updates often dependent on verifiable information from trusted international bodies and on-the-ground assessments by relief organizations.