(November 13, 2023) – Another batch of Filipinos from the war-torn Gaza Strip arrived in the Philippines on Sunday evening, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
DFA undersecretary Eduardo De Vega noted that the latest arrival consisted of 41 Filipinos and seven Palestinians. According to another DFA official, the 48 individuals form part of the people who crossed the Rafah border last Saturday.
“However, 14 turned back and returned to the Gaza Strip when nine Palestinian family members were not allowed by the border guards to enter Egypt,” said DFA undersecretary for administration Antonio Morales.
Citing information from the Philippine Embassy in Jordan, Morales said there are still around 39 Filipinos in the Gaza Strip. Some Filipinos whose spouses or other family members were rejected at the Rafah border decided to stay because they do not want to be separated from their kin.
The first batch of evacuees from Gaza consisting of 34 Filipinos arrived last Saturday. DFA secretary Enrique Manalo led the government officials who welcomed them at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“President (Bongbong) Marcos has been deeply concerned about the condition of our kababayans in Gaza. He constantly issued guidance for us to do everything necessary to bring them home,” said Manalo.
According to Manalo, the embassies of the Philippines in Tel Aviv, Cairo, and Amman played a critical role in bringing Filipinos home in the face of persisting violence in Gaza, stressing the “intense, round-the-clock coordination” between those embassies and the DFA.
The DFA assured that repatriation efforts will continue to ensure the safety of all Filipinos.
“Operations are still ongoing to arrange the exit of more Filipinos from Gaza,” said the DFA in its media release. “No efforts will be spared to bring all of the affected nationals home.”
Gaza, a densely populated enclave with more than 2.3 million people, suffers from grave devastation. Hospitals are already running out of vital resources that could render them unable to attend to the medical needs of civilians caught in the middle of the fight between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and militant group Hamas.
Last October 7, Hamas launched a “surprise attack” on southern Israel, killing at least 1,400 people. Around 200 others were abducted.
Human rights organizations and international bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO) have repeatedly called for a ceasefire to address the heavy toll on civilians living in the besieged Gaza Strip, which the Philippines placed under Alert Level 4.
“WHO again calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza as the only way to save lives and reduce the horrific levels of suffering,” said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The Philippines also facilitates voluntary repatriation for Filipinos in Israel and Lebanon. Violence is also rising in northern Israel because of the tension between the IDF and militant group Hezbollah. Both Israel and Lebanon are under Alert Level 3.
(PM)
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