Journalistic reports have documented the joining of Ukrainian fighters to the ranks of the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, with informed sources stating that seven of them were killed in battles in Shuja'iyya neighborhood. Meanwhile, Kyiv has denied sending soldiers beyond its borders.
Social media platforms circulated a video clip showing heavily armed soldiers ducking behind a wall and speaking in Ukrainian. One of the soldiers in the clip claims they came to fight to prevent a new "Holocaust," attempting to justify their participation in the aggression against the Palestinian people.
Al Jazeera's verification unit, Sana, confirmed that the location shown in the video is in Gaza and that the individuals were speaking Ukrainian.
According to the Quds News Agency, informed sources reported that 7 Ukrainian mercenaries were recently killed in Shuja'iyya neighborhood where the occupation forces are facing significant losses of life and equipment daily.
Foreign fighters are observed among the Israeli army in this footage, showing three Ukrainian soldiers fighting alongside the Israeli army in Gaza.
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 19, 2023
Kyiv Denies
A spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated, "We have not sent any soldiers to the Gaza Strip or any other part of the world." The spokesperson added that "the footage showing individuals speaking Ukrainian in the Gaza Strip could be Israelis of Ukrainian or Slavic origin with no affiliation to the state."
The Israeli army announces daily the deaths of a number of its officers and soldiers, but it does not mention losses among the mercenaries fighting alongside it.
Estimates and leaks suggest that thousands of French citizens are fighting in Gaza within the Israeli occupation forces, along with mercenaries and volunteers from Britain, Germany, and some African countries.
On Thursday, South Africa warned its citizens against fighting alongside the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza.
