Islamic Jihad has released proof of life footage of Sasha Trufanov, marking the first sighting of the 30-year-old Amazon engineer since his capture from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023.
Trufanov was taken along with his mother Yelena, grandmother Irena Tati, and girlfriend Sapir Cohen during the Hamas attack. His mother and grandmother were released in November 2023 following Russian diplomatic intervention, while his father Vitaly was killed during the October 7 attack.
The Israeli-Russian engineer, who works at Amazon's Annapurna Labs, has been held for over a year. His friends have been campaigning for his release, including staging awareness events at Amazon conferences, though the company has maintained silence on his captivity, reportedly fearing publicity could harm him.
Before his capture, Trufanov and his girlfriend Sapir had recently moved to Ramat Gan but were visiting family in Nir Oz when the attack occurred. They were in a house without a safe room when militants entered the kibbutz.
This is the first sign of Trufanov since his capture.
