• Seven-year-old Ukrainian leukemia patient Anastasia Borik killed in Iranian missile strike on her Bat Yam home.
• Her mother remains missing, while her father fights in Ukraine’s special forces.
• The attack killed at least nine civilians and sparked widespread grief and condemnation in Israel.

In a heartbreaking blow that has shaken the city of Bat Yam and the wider Israeli community, seven-year-old Anastasia Borik—known affectionately as Nastia—lost her life in a missile strike that devastated her home. Nastia, a Ukrainian child battling leukemia, was caught in an Iranian ballistic missile attack on a residential building late Saturday night. This strike killed at least nine people and left several others missing.

The devastating event has brought a grim spotlight on the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of ongoing regional tensions. Nastia’s family, who had relocated to Israel two years ago specifically for her cancer treatment, now face unimaginable loss and uncertainty.

A Family Torn Apart by War and Illness

Nastia’s journey to Israel began in December 2022 when her family fled the war-torn city of Odessa. They sought medical help for her leukemia. Despite having no religious or familial ties to Israel, the family hoped this move would give Nastia a fighting chance against her illness. The decision was undoubtedly agonizing, uprooting their lives and leaving behind a familiar world to embrace the unknown.

Tragically, this new beginning turned into a nightmare. The missile struck their Bat Yam home directly, killing Nastia along with three close family members. Her grandmother, 54-year-old Olena Sokolva, and her two older cousins, 14-year-old Ilia Pashkorov and nine-year-old Konstantin Totavich, also perished in the attack. Nastia’s mother, 30-year-old Maria Pashkorovia, remains missing. Her fate is uncertain amid the rubble.

The only surviving family member is Nastia’s father, Artem Borik. He remains in Ukraine, caught in a different battle altogether, as he fights on the front lines against Russian forces. Ukrainian sources report that Artem serves in an elite special forces unit, conducting raids against Russian positions in occupied territories. The cruel irony of a family split by war and tragedy—some seeking refuge abroad while others risk their lives defending their homeland—is stark and devastating.

A Community in Shock and Mourning

The strike in Bat Yam has rippled through Israeli society, igniting waves of grief and anger. The attack was a deliberate Iranian missile strike aimed at civilian housing, an act that President Isaac Herzog condemned unequivocally. “The world must condemn Iran’s indefensible crimes — and stand with Israel against Tehran’s Empire of Evil,” Herzog declared. He voiced not only sorrow but also a call for global solidarity against such brutal assaults on innocent lives.

For many in Bat Yam and beyond, the tragedy has reopened deep wounds. Families who had welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their communities are now mourning alongside them, united in shared pain and fear. The knowledge that children like Nastia—already fighting life-threatening illness—can fall victim to such violence intensifies public outrage.

Israeli officials confirmed that at least nine civilians died in the attack, and several others remain unaccounted for, including Nastia’s mother. Rescue teams continue to search the rubble, hoping against hope for survivors. The sense of helplessness is palpable.

The Broader Context: Ukrainian Refugees and the Israeli Connection

Israel has become a refuge for tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the conflict back home. Official figures estimate about 23,000 Ukrainian citizens currently live in Israel. Roughly half arrived after the outbreak of war in 2022. Many have sought sanctuary and medical care, as in Nastia’s case, while others came for family reunification or safety.

This influx has added layers of complexity to Israel’s own security concerns. The missile strike in Bat Yam underscores how regional hostilities can intersect with global conflicts, dragging innocent civilians into harm’s way.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Israel is now working urgently to coordinate the repatriation of the bodies to Ukraine. They are ensuring that those lost can be laid to rest in their homeland. They are also helping those Ukrainian citizens and permanent residents who wish to return home amid the ongoing turmoil.

The Human Cost of Geopolitical Conflict

Behind every headline and statistic lies a human story of dreams, fears, and loss. Anastasia Borik’s story is a painful reminder of the innocent lives shattered by conflict and hatred. A little girl who fought leukemia with courage was robbed of a future by a missile aimed at her home. Her family’s courage in fleeing a war zone for hope and healing makes the tragedy all the more heartrending.

The community’s response has been one of deep sorrow mixed with fierce determination. People have expressed outrage at the attack’s blatant targeting of civilians, especially those already vulnerable. Social media is filled with tributes to Nastia and her family, calls for justice, and pleas for peace.

Some voices have questioned the ongoing risks posed to civilians in cities like Bat Yam. They debate whether enough is being done to protect those caught in the crossfire. Others call for stronger international pressure on Iran and its proxies to stop escalating violence.

For now, the streets of Bat Yam hold the echoes of grief, the faces of a community coming together in sorrow, and the resolve to remember the victims by demanding a safer future. Anastasia Borik’s brief life and tragic end have moved many to confront the harsh realities of war’s far-reaching impact—and to hope that someday, no child will have to face such a fate.