The Ukrainian Ombudsman arrived in Egypt to negotiate the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from the Gaza Strip

Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, arrived in Egypt to help establish a mechanism for the evacuation of Ukrainians from the Gaza Strip, which is suffering from airstrikes and shelling by the Israeli army.

Lubinets wrote on his Facebook that he had come on behalf of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi. The only functioning Rafah checkpoint on the border with Egypt is still closed. Negotiations on the passage of foreigners are ongoing.

"As a result of the attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel, civilians of Ukraine remain blocked in the Gaza Strip. The situation is critical. People without light, communications, are in danger. Therefore, 243 Ukrainians, namely women and children, need urgent evacuation," the ombudsman wrote.

• As of October 14, it is known that 12 Ukrainians were killed in an attack by Hamas militants on Israel. Another eight are missing. At least 260 Ukrainian citizens are awaiting evacuation in Israel itself. They begin to be taken out by flights to Romania.