PARIS, Oct 9, 2023 (AFP) – Dozens of foreigners have been killed, injured or taken hostage during a surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas Saturday that has left 700 people dead, mostly Israelis.
Many of the missing foreigners were at a desert music festival, where scores of revellers were massacred.
Here is what we know so far:
– Thailand: 12 dead, 11 hostages –
Twelve Thai labourers were killed, eight were wounded and 11 were taken captive, foreign ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachoke said Monday.
Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said there were around 5,000 Thai labourers working in the areas hit by fighting who were being moved to safety.
– Nepal: 10 dead –
Ten citizens of Nepal were killed in Kibbutz Alumin, one of the flashpoints of the Hamas assault, the Himalayan republic’s embassy in Tel Aviv said on Sunday.
Four others were being treated in hospital while a search was underway for a fifth person, the embassy added.
Kibbutz Alumim was hosting 17 students at the time of the attack.
– US: 4 dead, ‘toll will rise’ –
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US was trying to verify reports that “several” Americans were killed and others were missing.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, said on Sunday that at least four had been killed, adding: “We know the toll will rise.”
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, said on Sunday he understood that a number of Americans had been taken hostage but had no details.
– Ukraine: 2 dead –
Two Ukrainian women who had been living in Israel for a long time were killed, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Sunday.
– France: 1 dead, several missing –
A French woman was killed and several others are missing, the French government said on Sunday
An MP representing French nationals overseas, Meyer Habib, said on Monday that “at least eight” French people had been killed, captured or were missing.
The hostages may have included a 26-year-old man from Bordeaux who was at the rave, he said.
– UK: 1 dead, 1 missing –
Jake Marlowe, 26, who moved to Israel from Britain two years ago, is believed to have been taken hostage while providing security at the music festival.
His mother Lisa told the Jewish News site that he called her “to say all these rockets were flying over,” and then later to tell her “signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you”.
Israel’s ambassador to Britain said there was one British citizen in Gaza, without naming the person.
A British man who was serving in the Israeli army, Nathanel Young, 20, also died in fighting with Hamas, his family said on Sunday.
– Canada: reports of 1 dead, 2 missing –
The Canadian government said on Sunday that it was trying to confirm reports that one Canadian had died and two others were missing.
– Cambodia: 1 dead –
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet said a Cambodian student was killed.
– Germany: several hostages –
Several dual German-Israeli nationals were kidnapped, a German foreign ministry source said Sunday.
The mother of 22-year-old Shani Louk, told news outlet Der Spiegel she recognised her daughter in videos circulating online of a half-naked woman lying face down in the back of a pick-up truck in Gaza with armed men seated around her.
Ricarda Louk told Spiegel that her daughter had been at the rave.
– Brazil: 3 missing, one injured –
Brazil’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that three dual Brazilian-Israeli nationals were missing after attending the music festival and a fourth was being treated in hospital.
– Paraguay: 2 missing –
Two Paraguayan nationals who had been living in Israel are missing, Paraguay’s government said, without giving details.
Paraguayan media, including La Nacion de Asuncion, said a couple had been killed.
– Mexico: 2 hostages –
Mexico’s Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that two Mexicans, one man and one woman, had been taken hostage, without giving further details.
– Panama: 1 missing –
Panama’s government said one of its nationals, Daryelis Denises Saez Batista, was missing.
– Ireland: 1 missing –
An Irish-Israeli woman has been confirmed missing by the Irish government.
Local media named her as 22-year-old Kim Damti, who was attending the music festival.
In the last phone call she made on Saturday morning she was running with a friend towards a car, the Irish Times newspaper reported.
