Psychological terror

Terrorists release video of hostage

The terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip is continuing its psychological warfare. This is the third video of the abducted Sasha Trupanov (picture).

(Bild: Screenshot/Instagram.com)

Sasha Trupanov, the hostage abducted in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, has already been shown twice in a video. Now the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad has released a third video on psychological warfare.

The video published on Wednesday shows a young, bearded man who claims to be Sasha Trupanov and is 29 years old. 

The man talks about the Israeli military operations in Lebanon that began in the second half of September and the Israeli airstrikes on Iran that took place at the end of October.

Israel: "Psychological terror of the hostage-takers"
He also criticized the actions of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip because they endangered the lives of the hostages. Israel classifies this type of video as psychological terror by the hostage-takers.

The organization of the hostage families announced that the young man's relatives had agreed to the video being published in Israel. Such videos are usually made under duress by the hostage-takers.

Mother appeals to Israel's leadership
'Trupanov's mother Jelena, who herself was released in a hostage deal a year ago, said: "I am happy to see that my son is alive and that he is able to survive under the terrible circumstances in captivity." However, she sees despair and hopelessness in his face and is worried about his physical and mental health. Addressing Israel's political leadership, she said: "Look my son in the face and save him, now!"

Father was killed in Hamas attack
Trupanov, who holds both Israeli and Russian citizenship, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the unprecedented attack on southern Israel by the radical Islamic group Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups - along with his partner Sapir Cohen and his mother and grandmother, Yelena Trupanov and Irena Tati. His father Vitaly Trupanov was killed in the Hamas attack on Nir Oz.

The three women were released in November under the mediation of Egypt, Qatar and the USA as part of the only agreement between Israel and Hamas to date on the release of hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. A total of 105 hostages abducted to the Gaza Strip were released at the time, and 240 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli custody in return.

Qatar withdrew as mediator
The efforts led by Egypt, the USA and Qatar to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the Israeli hostages have remained unsuccessful for months. On Saturday, Qatar withdrew from the indirect negotiations as mediator. The emirate announced that it would only rejoin the negotiations if both sides demonstrated "their will and seriousness".

Islamic Jihad is allied with the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas, which triggered the Gaza War with its major attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. According to Israeli figures, 1,206 people were killed in the attack, most of them civilians. In addition, 251 people were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. Of the 97 hostages who are still there, 34 are said to be dead.