Overview

• Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, more than 45,000 Ukrainians have sought refuge in Israel, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics and aid groups.
• On Oct. 7, Hamas militants attacked, killing some 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages, causing trauma for the Ukrainian refugees in Israel.
• Many Ukrainian refugees live in Ashkelon, a city a few kilometers from the Gaza Strip, where the thud of airstrikes and shelling is constant.
• Refugee organizations have adapted some of their programs, providing financial assistance and bringing food to people who don’t feel safe leaving their homes.
• Some Ukrainians have been forced to move within Israel since the war began, and others are trapped in Gaza, with 160 evacuated so far, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.