Ahead of reports that the Rafah border crossing into Egypt may open in the coming days, 337 Ukrainians have requested to be evacuated from the embattled Gaza Strip, Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korniichuk, said on Oct. 23.
In comments to RF/ERL's Ukrainian service, Korniichuk said that there were likely around 500 Ukrainians still located in Gaza, but only 337 had expressed the desire to evacuate.
Regarding those who have yet to request evacuation, Korniichuk claimed the embassy is "completely powerless" to do anything, adding that he hopes the Rafah checkpoint will be open to foreign citizens "in the next few days, maybe even tomorrow."
Korniychuk also said Ukraine's embassy is also helping to evacuate citizens of other countries from the Gaza Strip, including Moldovans and Bulgarians.
There have been conflicting reports about the number of Ukrainians killed following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Michael Brodsky, Israel's Ambassador to Ukraine, said on Oct. 18 that 23 Ukrainians had been killed, but Korniichuk refuted that number, saying that 18 had been killed.
Over 500 Ukrainians have so far been evacuated from Israel since the start of the conflict.
Nate Ostiller
