Foreigners from across the globe killed, missing or abducted in Hamas massacre

Among countries confirming victims: US, UK, Canada, France, Thailand, Nepal, Russia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Germany, Philippines, Chile, Brazil, Italy, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Ireland

Rescue personnel remove bodies of dead civilians near the Israeli-Gaza border, southern Israel, October 9, 2023. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
Rescue personnel remove bodies of dead civilians near the Israeli-Gaza border, southern Israel, October 9, 2023. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

Dozens of foreigners have been killed, injured or taken hostage during a devastating massacre by the Palestinian terror group Hamas that left some 1,000 people dead in Israel, while at least 150 others were abducted and taken captive in the Gaza Strip, provoking war.

Many of the missing foreigners were at an electronic music festival in the southern Israeli desert, at which at least 260 revelers were cut down by Gaza gunmen.

The war began after Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel on Saturday and slaughtered hundreds of civilians in a series of border towns. Some 1,500 gunmen invaded after breaching the Gaza Strip border fence and then rampaged murderously for hours.

The death toll in Israel from the attack and subsequent battles rose to 1,000 by Tuesday, according to reports. Over 500 people remained hospitalized, many with life-threatening injuries, and over 2,900 have been injured since Saturday. The terrorists also kidnapped about 150 men, women and children and dragged them into Gaza. Hamas also launched over 5,000 rockets at Israel and has continued to bombard southern and central areas, causing more deaths and injuries.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says over 700 people in the Palestinian enclave have been killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes. Israel says it is targeting terrorist infrastructure and all areas where Hamas operates or hides out.

Here is what is known so far of foreign national victims of the Hamas attack.

US: 11 dead, others missing

The United States on Monday confirmed the deaths of at least 11 US citizens and said it was likely that Americans were among the hostages being held by Hamas.

US President Joe Biden Biden addresses the Israel-Hamas war, October 10, 2023. (Video screenshot)

“Sadly, we now know that at least 11 American citizens were among those killed — many of whom made a second home in Israel,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Thailand: 18 dead, 11 hostages

Eighteen Thais have been killed, nine have been wounded and 11 have been taken captive, foreign affairs officials said Tuesday.

Deputy minister of foreign affairs Jakkapong Sangmanee said about 5,000 Thai nationals had been evacuated from high-risk areas, and “more than 3,000 people [are] asking to return to Thailand.”

Nepal: 10 dead

Ten citizens of Nepal were killed in Kibbutz Alumim, 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.

France: Eight dead, 20 missing

Eight French nationals have been killed, the French government said on Tuesday, warning the death toll was likely to rise.

Twenty people remained missing and some of them had in all likelihood been abducted, it said.

Hundreds flee gunmen at a music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, October 7, 2023. (Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Argentina: Seven dead, 15 missing

Argentina’s foreign ministry on Monday confirmed that seven of the country’s nationals were killed and 15 others were missing.

Russia: Four dead, six missing

At least four Russian-Israelis have been killed, the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv said.

It stated that it had no information about any hostages, but that six Russian nationals were missing.

Ukraine: Two dead

Two Ukrainian women who had been living in Israel for years were killed, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Sunday.

UK: Two dead

Two British men have been confirmed dead by their families. One, 20-year-old Natanel Young, was serving in the Israeli army.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Tuesday that a “significant number” of British-Israeli dual nationals had been caught up in the fighting.

A third British-Israeli citizen, who was reportedly working as a security guard at the music festival, is also said to be missing.

Canada: One dead, Three missing

The Canadian government said Monday that one Canadian had died and three others were missing.

Cambodia: One dead

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet said one Cambodian student was killed.

Germany: Several hostages

Shani Louk, a German and Israeli citizen who was identified on the truckbed of Hamas terrorists by her dreadlocks and tattoos. (Courtesy Shani Louk Instagram)

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 that she recognized her daughter in videos circulating online of a half-naked woman lying seemingly unconscious face down in the back of a pick-up truck in Gaza filled with armed men.

Ricarda Louk told Spiegel that her daughter had been at the music festival. In a video on broadcaster ARD Tuesday, the mother, Louk, said she had received new information that her daughter was “alive but has a severe head injury and is in critical condition.”

Philippines: Five missing

The Philippines ambassador to Israel said Tuesday five citizens were unaccounted for, with one of them possibly abducted.

Chile: Three dead, one missing

Three Israelis of Chilean origin are dead and one is missing.

Peru: two dead, three missing

Two Peruvians were killed and three are missing, authorities said.

Austria: Three missing

Austria’s foreign ministry said early on Tuesday that three dual Austrian-Israeli nationals who were staying in the south of Israel, independently of each other, could be among those abducted.

Foreign nationals being held by Hamas gunmen, in an unconfirmed photo distributed on social media. (Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Brazil: One dead, three missing

Brazil’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that a Brazilian-Israeli citizen was dead. It was not clear if they were among the three dual Brazilian-Israeli nationals missing after attending the music festival.

Italy: Two missing

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that two Israeli-Italians were missing.

“They have not been located and are not answering calls,” he said.

Paraguay: Two missing

Two Paraguayan nationals who had been living in Israel are missing, Paraguay’s government said, without giving details.

Peru: Two missing

The Peruvian foreign ministry said two nationals were missing, without offering any further details.

Sri Lanka: Two missing

Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Israel said Tuesday that two nationals, a 48-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman, were missing.

An aerial picture shows the abandoned site of the weekend attack on the Supernova desert music Festival by Palestinian terrorists near Kibbutz Re’im in the Negev desert in southern Israel on October 10, 2023. (Jack Guez/AFP)

Tanzania: Two missing

Tanzania’s ambassador to Israel told AFP two Tanzanian nationals were missing.

Mexico: Two hostages

Mexico’s Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that two Mexicans, a man and a woman, had been taken hostage, without giving further details.

Colombia: Two hostages

Two Colombians who were at the Supernova festival were missing, Israel’s ambassador to Colombia said on X.

The Colombian government confirmed that two Colombians were at the rave and said it was trying to help locate them.

Ireland: One missing

An Irish-Israeli woman has been confirmed missing by the Irish government.

Kim Damti attended the music festival and had called her mother, who lives in Tel Aviv, as the Hamas gunmen began butchering the crowds.

Jennifer Damti told ABC on Sunday that the last words she heard from her daughter were “Mummy, what should I do?”

Damti’s son took the phone and instructed his sister to find shelter. It was the last the family ever heard from her.

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