One of the victims in Bat Yam strike: A Ukrainian girl who came to Israel for cancer care
Grandmother and two young cousins also killed in Sunday’s Iranian missile impact, mother missing; father said fighting in Ukraine’s war against Russia
Michael Horovitz is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel
A 7-year-old Ukrainian girl who came to Israel to receive life-saving treatment for leukemia and three of her family members were named Wednesday as among those killed in an early-morning Iranian missile strike on a Bat Yam apartment building this week.
Nastia Borik came to Israel in 2022 along with her mother, Maria Peshkurova, 30; her grandmother, Lena Peshkurova, 60; and her two cousins, Konstantin Totvich, 9, and Ilya Peshkurov, 13. The mother remains missing following the missile strike. The three others are confirmed to have been killed.
According to the Ynet news site, the girl’s father, Artem, is in Ukraine fighting in the war against Russia, and could not accompany his daughter due to a government order barring men under the age of 60 from leaving the country amid the conflict.
While the treatment received by Nastia initially worked, she later relapsed, and a bone marrow transplant had not successfully stopped the disease, the report said.
The Haaretz daily reported that due to the disease and the treatment she received, she found it difficult to walk and had to move around in a stroller.
On Sunday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said it was in close communication with the Israel Police and other agencies to complete the identification process and arrange the repatriation of the bodies.
The Iranian ballistic missile that hit the high-rise apartment building is confirmed to have killed nine people early Sunday.
It came after Israel on Friday launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, citing an immediate and existential threat. It has continued hitting Iran every day since.
Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.
Iran has retaliated by launching over 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 wounded.
Iran’s leaders, who are sworn to destroy Israel, have publicly denied seeking nuclear weapons, but have stocked up on 60%-enriched uranium — far above what is necessary for civilian uses, and a short step away from weapons-grade.
Nava Freiberg contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.