Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
The Philippine government has imposed Alert Level 3 status in Gaza or a voluntary repatriation for Filipinos in the Palestinian territory.
However, hurdles face Philippine officials from taking out Filipinos there as Gaza’s borders, both with Israel and Egypt, have been sealed off by Tel Aviv after it declared a “total siege” of the territory.
“Gaza is under a blockade. No one [is] coming in or out,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said in a text message.
Gaza’s border with Israel has been sealed off; while its sole border crossing with Egypt, Rafah, was already bombed.
De Vega said the Philippine government is now “using diplomacy to find means to get them the means to exit Gaza.”
As of Wednesday, more than half—or 70 of the 137—Filipinos in Gaza have already requested for repatriation, according to DFA.
Filipinos in the territory are mostly married to Palestinian spouses, who will also be welcome to seek refuge in the Philippines, according to De Vega.
Meanwhile, Israel is under Alert Level 2, which restricts new deployment from the Philippines.
But there is “no call for repatriation yet” from the around 30,000 Filipinos there, de Vega added.
Two Filipinos were confirmed dead and three remain missing after Hamas made a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday. A total of 26 Filipinos were also rescued. — Joseph Pedrajas
*****
Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
