Filipina feared dead in Gaza

A Filipino woman who was among those previously reported missing in Israel is feared dead after supposedly being caught in the clashes between government forces and Hamas militants, an official of the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv said Tuesday.

THE embassy has also recommended starting the voluntary repatriation of Filipinos living in Israel to President Marcos and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) by raising the alert level to 3 in the war-torn Gaza Strip and the suspension of travel to the Jewish state.

Anthony Mandap, Deputy Chief of Mission of the PH Embassy, said they received a report that a Filipino was killed amid the skirmishes between government troops and Hamas, but the Israeli government is still verifying it.

The embassy has information on the identity of the purported victim, but this needed confirmation, Mandap added.

“Last night [we] received a report [that] a Filipino might have perished in the violence, but we are still verifying that,” Mandap said in an ANC interview.

“So, right now, yes, officially, it’s still six (missing Filipinos), unless of course, we confirm the news of the death of one of our Filipino caregivers here,” he added.

The situation remains tense in Israel, the official said, but added that Filipinos should not panic because it is “contagious.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the recommendation to raise Alert Level 3 has been forwarded to President Marcos.

“It isn’t final yet, but we are going by that,” De Vega said.

He said there are at least 138 Filipinos in the Gaza Strip, with 38 of them asking for repatriation.

The recommendation came as Israel carried out airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas terrorists had launched a massive surprise attack on Israeli territory on Saturday.

Hamas hit Israel with rockets and armed terrorists killed and abducted civilians in areas bordering the Gaza Strip, leading Israel to declare war on Hamas (see related story on A1 – Editors).

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said the Philippine Embassy in Israel issued a travel advisory suggesting “that all travel from the Philippines to Israel be postponed indefinitely, or until such time that the situation has stabilized.”

The recommendation came “in view of the volatile security situation” there, as seven Filipinos are still missing after Israel retaliated against Hamas.

The DFA had said no Filipino in Israel requested repatriation but later noted that 38 in the Gaza Strip have asked to return to the Philippines.

“The numbers may change as some are still undecided,” Ma. Teresita Daza, the DFA spokesperson, said.

At least 22 Filipinos were already rescued by Israeli troops following the attack. The DFA also reported that one Filipino was possibly taken hostage by Hamas and was brought to Gaza as his wife saw him in a video circulating on social media being held captive by the group.

She said the Philippine Embassy in Amman, Jordan, has received requests for repatriation from Filipinos in Gaza.

Philippine diplomats in Tel Aviv said the embassy has contingency measures for Filipinos caught in the hostilities.

Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos told reporters that the embassy is coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure safe passage for Filipinos.

Filipinos in Israel were advised to stay indoors and follow instructions from local authorities.

Israel is home to at least 30,000 workers from the Philippines.

The Philippine government did not say if it will issue a travel ban to Israel or revise a security alert notice due to the ongoing conflict.

A “state of war alert” was issued by Israel’s Home Front Command following the Saturday surprise attack.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), meanwhile, said it is not yet safe to repatriate Filipinos in Israel as fighting continues between Israeli and Hamas terrorists, saying they are waiting for a safe window to evacuate hundreds of overseas Filipino workers in that country.

DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said they are waiting for the proper time to repatriate Filipinos in Israel who wish to go back to the Philippines, citing security concerns if they conduct a mass evacuation.

“We will conduct evacuation-repatriation for those who wish to return home at the right time, in coordination with the Israeli authorities. When it comes to the point of mandatory repatriation, we will also carry that out,” he said.

The Philippines had earlier advised affected Filipinos to remain indoors or inside their bomb shelters to keep themselves safe.

In other developments:

* The chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs called for an immediate stop to the violence in Israel, where thousands of Filipinos are working. In a statement, Pangasinan Rep. Rachel J Arenas also condoled with victims of the ongoing attacks in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. Arenas and Rep. Marissa Magsino of OFW party-list lauded the quick response of the government, which has already formed a task force that will monitor the situation in Israel and help Filipinos affected by the ongoing conflict.

* The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) appealed to the faithful to pray for peace amid the ongoing war between Israeli troops and the Hamas terrorist group. “It is urgent and necessary that we pray and hope for peace. Peace is what our world needs. We pray for restraint and goodwill to reign in everybody’s heart and mind,” Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos, vice chair of the CBCP – Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) said. Santos also requested prayers for the 39 Filipinos belonging to the Israel Defense Force reserve who are exposed to extreme danger due to the war in the Gaza Strip.

* Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia wants to impose an indefinite suspension on the voter registration of Filipinos in Israel for the 2025 elections. Voter registration for overseas voters for the 2025 elections started in December 2022 and will run for two years.

— Rey E. Requejo and Charles Dantes

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