Ukrainians may be held hostage by Hamas - Ambassador to Israel Korniychuk

This was announced by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk, according to Suspilne.

"It should be understood that we don't know the whereabouts of a certain number of people, and it is possible that some of them may be in captivity. This was reported to us by Israeli services, but it is not yet proven information. Please do not make a fuss, but it is most likely true," Korniychuk said.

He added that Ukrainian diplomats closely cooperate with the Israeli police in the search for Ukrainian citizens.

"We are constantly searching for people, both by DNA and fingerprints. The police help us find new people. I don't think the number (of victims - ed.) will change significantly,” he noted.

The diplomat also said that of the seven Ukrainians killed, only one citizen had a Ukrainian passport.

"This means that the other six lived in Israel permanently and also had Israeli passports. This in no way diminishes their rights as citizens of Ukraine, just for your understanding that one traveler, unfortunately, has been killed. The rest are local residents," Korniychuk said.

Suspilne notes that the day before, it was reported the number of Ukrainians killed in Israel had increased to seven. Consuls have established their personal data, are in contact with relatives, and are taking steps to repatriate the bodies. This was announced on the morning of October 12 by the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleh Nikolenko.

Events in Israel: latest updates

On the morning of Saturday, October 7, 2023, the Palestinian armed groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched a massive air and land attack on the state of Israel in several places. The head of the Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, said that his militants had launched the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. According to him, these actions are intended to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The Palestinians launched 2,000 to 3,000 missiles at Israel and simultaneously seized 7 communities in the south.

In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced the mobilization of reservists and the launch of the Iron Swords counterterrorism operation. For the first time in 50 years, the government introduced martial law in the country. 

The IDF actively used aviation to strike Palestinian command posts. It has also begun clearing Hamas-occupied communities.

In addition, there is a great threat that the Shiite Hezbollah could attack Israel from the north, as its main partner and supplier, the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), has called on jihadists to "liberate Jerusalem."

On the morning of October 8, the Saudi television channel Al Arabiya published the losses of both Palestinians and Israelis during the first day of the renewed military conflict. According to the channel, Israel lost 300 people killed and at least 1,600 wounded. The number of casualties from the Palestinian-populated Gaza Strip is 232 killed and 1,627 wounded. 

On October 8, Israeli troops claimed that Lebanon had attacked their territory, so the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) attacked in response. In particular, Israeli aviation struck a complex belonging to the head of Hamas' intelligence.

Militants of the Lebanese military-political organization Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions on the border with the disputed Golan Heights and supported Hamas in its operation against Israel.

Due to the situation in the Middle East, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting. However, no action or decisions were taken after it. At the same time, the UK government stated that it would support Israel in its fight against terrorists and was ready to provide it with all necessary assistance.

On the afternoon of October 9, the Israeli army regained control of all areas on the border with the Gaza Strip. At this, it is possible that there are still Hamas militants on Israeli territory.

At night and during the day on the same day, the Israeli armed forces attacked the Gaza Strip. The main targets were command posts, homes of commanders, militants and ordinary soldiers of the Hamas terrorist organization. The Israeli Ministry of Defense ordered the military to put the Gaza Strip under blockade.

A number of countries have condemned the terrorist attack by Hamas militants and expressed support for Israel in its defense against aggression. Among them are the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Hungary, Norway, Cyprus, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Argentina, Australia, and the European Union.