9 Latinos Dead, 25 Missing in Israel-Hamas War

Israel declared war on the Palestinian militant organization Hamas after it attacked several Israeli towns on Saturday, October 7. The Hamas-Israel conflict dates back several decades.

As per reports of the harrowing situation, Gaza soldiers fired rockets into the towns, and gunmen killed hundreds of people, including civilians.

In retaliation, Israel is carrying out airstrikes on Gaza, with over 100,000 Palestinians now displaced. While over 100 Israeli hostages are being held in Gaza, Israel’s United States embassy reported that over 1,000 Israelis have been killed, and at least 3,418 are injured. Meanwhile, 830 people have died in Gaza, and 4,250 are injured.

On Monday, Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said the country is carrying out a “complete siege” of Gaza, cutting “electricity,” “food,” and “fuel.” This comes after Hamas’ initial attacks, which included sending armed fighters to Israel’s Supernova music festival and killing 260 attendees. Several more people are currently hostages.

As the war continues, several Latinos are caught in the crossfire. As reported by CNN, at least nine Latinos are dead and 25 are missing since the start of the Israel-Hamas War. Here is everything we know so far.

All the details on the Latinos who lost their lives in the Israeli-Hamas Conflict

Israel’s Argentine embassy reported yesterday that seven Argentines have died so far in the conflict, while 15 are missing. Meanwhile, a total of 625 Argentines in Israel have requested help evacuating the country.

According to Univision, Argentina’s death toll includes Rodolfo Skariszewski, who died at 56 years old after living 30 years in Israel. His brother, Ricardo, told the outlet that Skariszewski’s son found his lifeless body in his car after a shooting.

Ricardo Skariszewski also told CNN that his brother was driving his car on a “main street” when someone shot him. He added that the 56-year-old was driving towards his daughter. “She called him desperately because of the bombings, asking her if he could pick her up.”

According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, other Argentine casualties include Silvia Mirensky, 80, who moved to Israel “more than 50 years ago” with her husband and children. Ronit Rudman Sultan, 55, a woman from Buenos Aires who resided in Kibbutz Holit, is also dead.

Father-of-three Abi Korin, 56, also tragically died in the attacks. Moreover, the names of missing Argentine nationals include brothers Iair and Eitan Horn, and — reportedly — the family of five Jose Luis Silberman, wife Marguit, and their three children.

Meanwhile, Peru’s foreign ministry announced today that two Peruvian nationals, Brando David Flores García and Daniel Levi, have died in the attacks. At least two remain missing.

The foreign ministry posted on X, “The Peruvian government sends their deepest condolences to the family of Brando David Flores García, and makes vows for the family to find peace at this painful time.”

In another post, they spoke about Levi’s passing: “The foreign ministry laments the death of a second Peruvian citizen in Israel, our compatriot Daniel Levi, and expresses their most heartfelt and deep condolences.”

At the time of his death, Levi was a doctor who pursued his medical career in Israel. While he once worked in both Peru and Ecuador, he later lived in Kibbutz Be’ri, quite close to Gaza.

Flores García was a Peruvian-Israeli soldier who lived near Gaza’s border. At this time, Israel has recruited around 100 Peruvian-Israelis to serve in their military.

Other Latinos stranded in Israel are still trying to return home safely

Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced on Monday that the government sent a plane to Israel to evacuate 300 Mexican nationals.

The president said in a press conference, “Today, a plane is departing to bring back those who want to come to Mexico; Palestine and Israel’s ambassadors are working on it.” According to The San Diego-Union Tribune, around 5,000 Mexican citizens are currently in Israel.

“The majority of Mexicans who are in Israel are there on tourism, fundamentally religious trips,” López Obrador added.

Apart from the hundreds of Mexican citizens who have requested evacuation from the country, the president said that three Mexican nationals are missing.

While he did not specify their names, InfoBae reports that the missing people’s loved ones have revealed their identities on social media.

Mexico’s missing people in Israel include Ilana Gritzewsky Camhi and Orión Hernández Padoux. According to Yahoo Noticias, Gritzewsky Camhi was captured in the kibbutz Nir Oz. This community is just three kilometers from the Gaza Strip. Her father, Benito Gritzewsky, originally from Mexico City, reportedly confirmed the disappearance.

Meanwhile, fellow Mexican national Hernández Padoux, from Tepozotlán, disappeared after attending the Supernova music festival with his German girlfriend, Shani Louk.

According to Univision, Hernández Padoux is the father of a two-year-old daughter. As reported by the outlet, Louk’s mother said that she recognized her daughter in a video from the festival, where several men seem to be driving her in a truck while he is unconscious.

Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alicia Bárcena, wrote on X about the Mexican hostages. “The Hamas group has presumably taken one Mexican man and one Mexican woman as hostages in Gaza this Saturday.”

“We are in contact with Israeli authorities,” she added. “And their families to follow up, give them support, and attention.”

Moreover, missing Mexican citizen David Heiblum and his Panamanian wife, Daryelis Denises Sáez Batista, were located and reported safe on Monday.

Heiblum’s sister, Shirley, told outlets that her brother had lived in Israel for an extended period of time. Heiblum and Sáez Batista reportedly hid under a bed for more than 50 hours in order to stay safe.

Panama’s ambassador in Israel, Itai Bardov, posted on X about the good news. “I am very happy to announce that Daryelis was found along with her husband, and they are doing well.”

Colombia’s foreign ministry also reported on Monday that two Colombians are missing following Hamas’ attacks. “We have been in direct contact with the family members of the two Colombians reported missing, as with local authorites.”

As per El País, the two missing Colombian nationals are Ivonne Rubio, 26, and her boyfriend Antonio Macias Montaño. The young couple attended the music festival in Israel, with Rubio later calling her father, Julio Rubio, and telling him, “Dad, we’re at war. We’re running to a bunker.” It was the last time her father spoke to her.

Julio Rubio told the outlet that the family had moved to Israel in 1991. They did so in order to escape violence in Colombia due to the Medellín Cartel. “We ran away from that violence,” he recalled.

Rubio and Macias Montaño each have one child. Rubio’s father explained, “The four of them lived their lives together, a beautiful family.”