This photo from November 2014 shows shelling damage in a Donetsk suburb resulting from the fighting between Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russian rebel forces. Photo: YouTube screenshot via Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – A Jewish woman has been killed in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, where pro-Russian rebel forces are continuing to battle Ukrainian authorities, on Tuesday night. The woman was employed in a Jewish kindergarten, said the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an aid group assisting the Jewish community living in the midst of the war zone.

On Wednesday, a minibus was also hit by rocket fire about 980 feet away from the Donetsk synagogue, where morning prayers were being held. The congregants have since been evacuated from the premises. A local Jewish organization, the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS, is also considering evacuating the Donetsk Jewish community to the nearby city of Rostov.

“This latest development is another stark reminder of the harsh conditions on the ground that impact the lives of the most vulnerable in Ukraine every day. As we mourn the loss of life, our staff on the ground are tending to the elderly and poor Jews we serve in the city to ensure their safety. We remain vigilant and dedicated to delivering humanitarian aid to the thousands in Ukraine who are facing violence, scarcity of food and medicine, and the harsh winter months,” said American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee CEO Alan Gill, The Jerusalem Post reported.