Help rescue animals from the front line — shop our Companion Collection 🐾

Shop Now
News Feed

Ambassador: Ukrainian killed in Gaza Strip, 18 citizens confirmed killed in Israel

• 2 min read
Ambassador: Ukrainian killed in Gaza Strip, 18 citizens confirmed killed in Israel
Smoke rises from buildings in northern Gaza as the Israeli military bombards the territory on Oct. 15, 2023. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

A Ukrainian woman was killed in the Gaza Strip as the hostilities between Israel and Hamas continue, Ukraine's Ambassador in Israel Yevhen Korniichuk said on live television on Oct. 19.

"Overnight, our activists confirmed the death of one Ukrainian citizen in the Gaza Strip. Her identity is being established," the ambassador said.

Although Israeli ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky said earlier that 23 Ukrainian citizens have been killed in Israel, Korniichuk refuted this number, saying that only 18 citizens have been confirmed killed.

Brodsky noted that this still leaves Ukraine with the second highest number of civilian casualties as a result of the fighting in Israel, right behind the U.S.

Korniichuk said that the situation in the Palestinian enclave besieged by the Israeli military is deteriorating.

"We already have more than 300 people on the evacuation list. It's 308 now, but it's increasing all the time," the ambassador said, adding that the number can grow to 400 in the coming days.

About 450 Ukrainians have been evacuated from Israel as of Oct. 18, with more evacuation flights planned in the coming days.

The fighting in Israel and Gaza broke out following Hamas' attack on Israeli settlements on Oct. 7. Tel Aviv responded by retaliatory airstrikes against Gaza and a "total" blockade of the enclave. Thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed on both sides so far.

Avatar
Martin Fornusek

Assistant Editor

Martin Fornusek is an assistant editor at the Kyiv Independent. Until recently, Martin held the role of foreign affairs reporter specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, focusing on developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

Read more
News Feed

The latest announcement comes as Kyiv experienced widespread power outages on Oct. 8 following a Russian attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Over 3 million residents in the capital lost power in what officials described as "an attack on one of the energy facilities important for the city of Kyiv."

The railway operator initially reported that the passenger train's driver suffered a leg injury and four passengers required medical attention. The crew of the electric locomotive was unharmed.

Show More