APA-Pretoria (South Africa) Two unnamed South Africans have been killed in the ongoing Israel-Palestine fighting which broke out last Saturday, International Relations and Cooperation Ministry spokesperson Clayson Monyela has announced.
“The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation can confirm that we have been notified that two South African nationals have died in the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel,” Monyela said on Thursday.
The spokesperson did not explain how the two died but he said a verification exercise was underway to determine their identity because one of the individuals was reported to have an Israeli identification number.
“So, we need to determine whether there is dual citizenship — or what is the real picture,” the spokesperson said.
The verification process was left in the hands of South Africa’s diplomatic missions in Palestine and Israel who are coordinating the efforts, and “also rendering consular assistance and services to the families of our nationals,” he added.
In the early hours of Saturday, the militant wing of Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns from the Gaza Strip, leaving thousands dead and thousands of others injured in the fighting.
The conflict has since descended into a full-blown war, with Israel unleashing a daily barrage of rockets on Gaza in response and Hamas still retaliating at night using home-made rockets.
NM/jn/APA