PARIS, Oct. 10 Death toll in Hamas attacks against Israeli citizens of France have reached four, while another 13 people have not yet been found, the French Foreign Ministry said in a communiqué on Tuesday.
«France regrets the tragic death of two more French citizens. The number of victims of Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel by France has thus reached four,» the Foreign Ministry said in a communiqué.
The department expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
“We know nothing about another thirteen citizens whose situation is of particular concern; they were most likely abducted,” the Foreign Ministry said.
On the morning of October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, Hamas fighters, after massive rocket attacks, penetrated into the border areas in southern Israel.
The military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement announced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel. The Israel Defense Forces announced the launch of Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an address to the nation, said that the country was in a state of war and said that he had ordered a widespread mobilization of reserves. The Israeli military is clearing populated areas.
The number of dead Israeli residents as a result of the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has exceeded 800, Israel's state radio Kan reported on Monday.
According to the latest data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the death toll as a result of Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has exceeded 560.
The Al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) said they had captured dozens of Israeli soldiers and officers. Hamas Politburo member Musa Abu Marzouk later reported that more than 100 Israeli citizens, including high-ranking military officials, were captured and held in the Gaza Strip.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier stated the need to urgently stop the bloodshed between Israel and Palestine and called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to him, a solution to the Palestinian problem is possible only on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions, which presuppose the coexistence of two states.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, related to the territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created. Israel, while declaring agreement with the two-state principle, did not completely liberate the Palestinian territories.