The family of Alexander Lobanov, one of six hostages recently murdered by Hamas, allowed the publication on Friday of a Hamas psychological warfare video featuring Alexander speaking from Hamas captivity.
Slain hostage Alexander Lobanov speaks in a recorded message from Hamas captivity in Gaza. (Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
The version of the video was edited from the original that Hamas produced and published with the permission of the family as well as the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
The video began with still photos of all six of the slain hostages before landing on Lobanov.
Lobanov began by introducing himself, stating his name, age, where he’s from, and that he was kidnapped from Re’im while working. Notably, Lobanov says “kidnapped,” but the attached English captions that Hamas inserted into the video quote him as saying “arrested.”
He then said that Hamas transferred him over 10 times to save his life.
His message continued by addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli public. He told Netanyahu that he failed on October 7 and asked the Israeli public to continue protesting and demanding a deal.
He also reiterated in the Schalit deal, over 1000 terrorists were released.
Lobanov ended his message by telling the members of his family to stay strong and that he loves them.
After the publication of the video, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement, saying, “This horrific video further demonstrates Hamas’s cruelty. Alex and five other hostages managed to survive in nightmarish conditions for over 10 months before being brutally executed. Recently released footage from their underground prison offered only a glimpse of the unimaginable horrors they endured in captivity. Time is running out for the remaining 101 hostages. A deal must be struck immediately to save them.”
The slain hostages
Lobanov, along with Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Carmel Gat, and Ori Danino were executed by Hamas in a tunnel in Rafah. Their bodies were later discovered by the IDF.
Lobanov, tried to save people from the Hamas massacre at the Nova festival on October 7 before being taken hostage, the Hostage Family Forum said. Lobanov was working as the manager of the bars at the festival.
The 32-year-old from Ashkelon was married to Michal and was the loving father of a two-year-old. While he was in captivity, his second child was born and is now five months old.
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