PH didn’t expect Israel-Hamas war ‘would take this long’ — DFA exec

The Philippine government did not expect that Israel’s war on Hamas would take this long as the situation of Filipinos still trapped in Gaza now becomes difficult.

Over a week ago, the dozens of Filipinos in the Palestinian territory who sought repatriation were expected to be able to cross into Egypt already. But until now, they are still there.

“Remember, we (did) not expect that it would take this long. As early as 10 days ago, 9 days ago, they were supposed to already start crossing, and then hindi natuloy (it didn’t happen),” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said during Monday’s briefing.

De Vega hoped that Filipinos would finally be able to enter Egypt because while food supplies remain adequate, their “access to potable water is getting difficult.”

And in fact, some Filipinos who already fled northern Gaza, where heavy bombardments are expected, to the south already returned due to lack of available space to seek shelter.

There are now nine Filipinos in the northern part, including a nun and a father and a child who sought refuge in a hospital, according to de Vega.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the world’s call for a humanitarian ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas that has already killed at least 8,000 people in Gaza, including civilians.

Israel has continued its military attacks on the territory and even recently cut Gaza’s phone and internet services.

De Vega said out of 136 Filipinos in Gaza, they are already able to contact the 115.

“Twenty-one haven’t been reached,” he said.

Meanwhile, DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo said the government is assuming that two Filipinos are among those taken hostage by Hamas militants to Gaza.

“We continue to exert every effort to at least locate [them],” Manalo added. — Joseph Pedrajas