Ambassador: None injured among Ukrainians evacuated from Gaza
None of the over 200 Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Gaza are injured, Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniichuk said in a comment to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Nov. 10.
"No wounded person crossed the border. Not two days ago, not last night," Korniichuk said on air to RFE/RL's project Svoboda.Ranok.
"We have received unconfirmed reports from the community about dead and injured Ukrainian citizens. They are being provided with assistance on the Gaza Strip's territory. Perhaps we will be able to take them out in following evacuation groups."
The evacuation of foreigners from Gaza began on Nov. 1 when Egypt finally opened the Rafah checkpoint, and the first Ukrainians were allowed to leave on Nov. 7.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced earlier on Nov. 10 that 160 Ukrainian citizens were evacuated over the past day, adding to the total number of 203 rescued.
While the spokesperson of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Oleh Nikolenko, said last week that 358 citizens requested to be evacuated, Korniiuchuk noted that Kyiv had received permission to evacuate 329. Two wounded citizens seem to be included on this list, the ambassador added.
The fighting in Israel and Gaza broke out after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli settlements on Oct. 7.
Tel Aviv responded with retaliatory airstrikes against Gaza, a total blockade of the enclave, and a ground offensive. Thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed on both sides.
As of Oct. 23, more than 500 Ukrainians have been evacuated from Israel. Some 19 Ukrainian citizens have been confirmed as killed in Israel, and four others in Gaza, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Anastasiia Lapatina
