Israeli Prisoner Alexander ‘Turbanov’ Did NOT Make a Statement About Captors’ Kindness — Wrong Name And Made-Up Quote

Did Alexander Turbanov, an Israeli held prisoner by Hamas, make a statement of sympathy for his captors upon his release? No, that’s not true: this made-up quote went viral on February 15, 2025 and resurfaced in October 2025. The man in question is not called Turbanov, his name is Alexander. Trufanov. The quote attributed to Troufanov was published on X by social media influencer Khaled Safi, who clarified in a subsequent post that he had written the words “on his behalf.”

The invented quote appeared in an article (archived here) published on Facebook on February 16, 2025 by the page Towards an understanding of Islam. The message begins:

A MUST READ!!

Today, the Israeli prisoner Alexander Turbanov, who was released, made a statement that shocked the Israeli occupier:

“Your kindness remained forever engraved in my conscience. During the 498 days that I lived among you, despite the attacks and crimes you endured, I learned the true meaning of virility, pure heroism and respect for humanity and values.

Here’s what the Facebook post looked like at the time of writing:

Alexander Turbanov is not the name of the hostage who was released on February 15, 2025. A photo of the three hostage exchange ceremony appears in a US News & World Report article (archived here) titled “Israel and Hamas complete latest exchange with two weeks left in first phase of ceasefire.” Troufanov is shown wearing a red hoodie. The photo caption says:

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)

On February 15, 2025, Khaled Safi @KhaledSafi published an article (archived here) on X in Arabic (photo bottom left). The post included an 8-second video clip showing Trufanov in the same setting as the photo above, escorted by two armed fighters. Although not identical, the machine translation of Safi’s post into English (pictured below right) follows the structure and sentiment of the quote included in the Facebook post.

Your beauty is engraved in my conscience, because during the 498 days that I lived among you, I learned the true meaning of virility, pure heroism and respect for humanity and values, despite the attacks and crimes to which you were victims.
You were the besieged but free, while I was the captive, and you were the guardians of my life. You took care of me like a compassionate father takes care of his children, preserving my health, my dignity and my elegance. You did not allow hunger or humiliation to reach me, even though I was in the hands of men fighting for their stolen lands and rights, against the government of my country, which is committing the most heinous genocide against a people under siege.

Many people responded to Safi asking for clarification. He responded on February 15, 2025 (archived here):

Note and clarification: These are not the words of the captive, but rather I wrote them on his behalf, describing his condition, his gratitude, his thanks and his reverence before the men of the resistance.