With hundreds of people dead and kidnapped after Saturday’s unexpected attack in Israel, several countries are searching for their citizens among the missing. Although there is no record of Spanish victims, the Spanish embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate in Jerusalem are “fully mobilized” to assist all displaced people who need assistance.
The Israeli embassy in the United Kingdom confirmed this Sunday that British citizen Jake Marlowe is “missing” following the Hamas attack. According to British media, the 26-year-old was working security at a music event in the desert near Kibbutz Re’im when he was lost.
“He is missing, we do not know for sure if he was taken hostage, if he is dead or if he is in a hospital,” said a diplomatic spokesperson.
Gaby Shalev, a London resident, reported on Facebook the death of her brother Nathanel Young, a former student at the JFS Hebrew school in north London, which the late Jake Marlowe also attended. Shalev was fighting with the Israeli army and was killed during Saturday’s Hamas attack.
The UK Government is in contact with the Israeli Government to determine whether there are Britons caught up in the conflict, especially in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas has taken hostages, Transport Minister Mark Harper has said.
For her part, the Israeli ambassador in London, Tzipi Hotovely, said on the same program Sunday morning with Trevor Phillips on Sky News that Israel is “doing everything possible to help the hostages and that all kidnapped citizens are returned.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the US government has received reports of several Americans dead or missing in Israel, and that officials are trying to verify those reports.
The father of a 23-year-old US citizen has confirmed that his son is among the missing. Hersh Golberg-Polin, born in California and with dual US-Israeli nationality, sent his parents text messages saying “I love you” and “I’m sorry” while the attack was taking place, according to his father Jonathan al-Jerusalem. Post, reports the BBC.
The French foreign ministry has confirmed the death of a French citizen and added that several of its nationals had not yet been located, so there could be more victims. 200,000 French or Franco-Israeli live in Israel.
Meyer Habib, the French deputy who deals with residents abroad, says that a French-Israeli citizen could be among the hostages captured by Hamas.
In an interview with the BFMTV channel, Habib explained that the family of Avidan T., a 26-year-old man originally from Bordeaux, has had no news for 24 hours although they have searched hospitals and public services. The deputy stated that “most likely” Avidan T. is one of the more than 150 hostages that Hamas militants have kidnapped.
Two Ukrainian women have died in the Hamas offensive against Israel, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told AFP this Sunday.
The Government of Thailand confirmed this Sunday the death of two of its citizens in Israel, while eight were injured and eleven were kidnapped by Hamas militiamen during the offensive that began on Saturday.
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thaivin, confirmed on the social network X (formerly Twitter) the death of two Thais after being informed by the Thai ambassador in Tel Aviv, Pannabha Chandraramya.
Previously, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, confirmed this morning in a press conference that eight people have been injured and 11 kidnapped and indicated that the Thai authorities are “closely” following the information they receive from Israel. and the impact on Thai citizens there.
According to Thai authorities, some 29,000 Thai citizens are in Israel, many of them working in the agricultural sector near the Gaza Strip.
Cambodia has also confirmed one death in Israel, while the Philippines tries to verify the possible kidnapping of one of its citizens.
“The Philippines will ensure the well-being of Filipinos affected by this conflict,” Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said in X.
At least eleven Nepalese students studying in southern Israel have been reported missing after the Hamas attack, the Government of Nepal reported on Sunday.
Of the 17 Nepalis studying in that area of ??Israel, two have been confirmed safe, while four injured are hospitalized.
