Ukraine's Ombudsman Arrives in Cairo to Help Evacuate Gaza Citizens

Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, has arrived in Cairo, Egypt, to help organize the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from the Gaza Strip. According to Lubinets, 243 Ukrainians, notably women and children, are “in danger” and lack essential supplies and means of communication.

“As a result of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, Ukrainian civilians remain blocked in the Gaza Strip. The situation there is critical. People are without electricity and communications and are in danger,” Lubinets posted on Telegram.

He continued: “243 Ukrainians, namely women and children, need urgent evacuation now” and added that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is currently closed.

According to Ukraine's ombudsman, President Volodymyr Zelensky made the decision that Lubinets urgently travel to Egypt and meet with the relevant authorities to address the humanitarian issue.

“I am now working with the National Commission for Human Rights of Egypt to help the citizens of Ukraine as quickly as possible. In particular, he held a meeting with the commission's President Mushira Khattab,” Lubinets reported.

“The main issue is the mechanism of returning Ukrainians home. Ukrainian diplomats and other competent authorities of the state authorities of Ukraine are also actively working,” he added.

The number of Ukrainians killed as a result of the attack by Hamas militants on Israel has increased, with a death toll of 11 people reported as of Oct. 13.

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However, there is no confirmed information missing Ukrainian citizens who may be held captive by Hamas militants, according to Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korneychuk.

The Hamas invasion of Israel began on Oct. 7 when militants from Gaza entered several border settlements with brute force and took hostages. In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initiated a counter-terrorist operation.

On Oct. 9, the IDF announced that they had regained control of the border towns where the Hamas offensive started.

Hamas has been holding about 150 hostages, including children, the elderly, and young people, warning that they would harm hostages in response to Israeli strikes on civilian targets in Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip on Oct. 9, including a power outage in the region. Gaza’s only power plant ran out of fuel on Oct. 11.

Israel's Energy Minister, Yisrael Katz, stated that the Gaza Strip would remain without electricity, water, and fuel until the hostages from Israel were released.

The Rafah checkpoint, a key exit point from non-Israeli-controlled Gaza, has been closed since Oct. 10 due to the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.

According to the Gaza Strip's Ministry of Health, at least 2,215 Palestinians, including 724 children, have been killed, and 8,714 people injured. In Israel, the death toll is reported to be around 1,300 people, with at least 3,400 injured.