Amazon CEO breaks silence as employee is released after 498 days in Hamas captivity
Andy Jassy said the company had a "dedicated team" working to secure Alexander Troufanov's release
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has finally broken his silence about employee Alexander Troufanov, who had been held hostage by Hamas after his release on Saturday.
Alexander ‘Sasha’ Troufanov, 29, was visiting his family at Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, when he, his mother, grandmother and girlfriend were taken captive by Hamas on 7 October 2023. He was held hostage for 498 days.
On Saturday, Jassy shared a message with Amazon employees on the company’s website. He said he was “incredibly relieved” that Troufanov had been released from captivity,” and that the company had a dedicated team working with Troufanov’s family “behind the scenes” to secure his release. The executive explained that Amazon “painfully” could not comment on Troufanov’s abduction publicly “for fear that we would negatively impact their ability to be released or how they were treated in captivity.”
Amazon faced criticism after it was revealed last year that Troufanov worked for the company, as many noted that the company hadn’t said anything publicly.
In his message over the weekend, Jassy said “it’s been an extremely trying time for everybody who knows and cares for Sasha — a lot of angst and feelings of helplessness. But, it can’t approach what Sasha and his family have been through, and we will continue to support them and do everything we can to help them heal.”
Troufanov was released on Saturday, along with Israeli-Argentinian Yair Horn, 46, and Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
