Ukraine Prepares Evacuation Flight from Israel

Over a thousand Ukrainian citizens currently residing in Israel have sought assistance in leaving the country. Ukraine is now preparing its first evacuation flight to Romania on Saturday, October 14, as reported by Oleg Nikolenko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on his Facebook page.

"Over a thousand Ukrainian citizens have requested assistance in departing from Israel due to canceled flights. Diplomats are working on the organization of the first evacuation flight to Romania scheduled for Saturday, October 14. We are also working on arranging additional evacuation flights. Details will be provided to citizens who have submitted their information to the Ukrainian Embassy in Tel Aviv," said Oleg Nikolenko.

According to him, approximately 200 Ukrainians have expressed their desire to be evacuated from the Gaza Strip. However, due to the lack of security, their departure from the Hamas-controlled territory is currently not feasible. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrainian embassies in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and other relevant agencies are making active efforts to expedite the evacuation of these Ukrainian citizens.

The spokesperson of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that the number of deceased Ukrainians in Israel has risen to seven. Consular officials have identified their personal information, maintained contact with their relatives, and are taking measures to repatriate their bodies.

Previously, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Ukrainian diplomats were able to evacuate a Ukrainian boy from the city of Sderot, who was injured during a terrorist attack. He is currently in a safe place under the embassy's care and is recovering after a successful operation. He has also received the necessary psychological support. Additionally, five citizens who were previously considered missing in southern Israel have been located.

It is worth noting that several European countries have decided to evacuate their citizens from Israel using military aircraft. These countries include Lithuania, with 7,000 of its citizens residing in Israel at the time of the Hamas attack, including 500 tourists, as well as Poland. Other countries, such as Moldova, are relying on commercial flights. Moldovan citizens, for instance, have the right to priority departure from Israel on Romanian national carrier Tarom's planes, thanks to an agreement between the governments of Moldova and Romania.