Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
All 131 Filipinos have left the area as gov’t triggers forced repatriation
All 131 Filipinos have left northern Gaza where an Israeli ground attack seemed imminent as the Department of Foreign Affairs raised crisis alert level 4 in the Palestinian enclave on Sunday.
The Philippine government, however, is still trying to find ways to implement the mandatory repatriation, the DFA said.
The DFA said 78 of the 131 Filipinos are near the Rafah border crossing near Egypt, while 53 have also left Gaza City, which is expected to be the main site of the hostilities between Israeli troops and Hamas terrorists.
“The Philippine government continues to work on the repatriation of our nationals and will provide updates on developments,” the DFA said in a statement.
Israel and Egypt have closed their borders to the Gaza Strip, fearing that Hamas terrorists will slip into their countries along with refugees.
On Friday, the DFA said at least eight overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were set to leave Israel today (Oct. 16) as part of the efforts of the administration to bring them to safety amid the ongoing conflict.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said 22 Filipinos from Israel have expressed their intention to go home.
Their repatriation will be shouldered by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Although the situation in Israel is more stable than in Gaza, the DFA advised against traveling to the conflict-torn country.
“The situation in Israel is not a big problem if it refers to the evacuation of nationals because the situation there is more stable and we’re ready to repatriate them and we don’t expect big numbers,” De Vega earlier said in a Palace media briefing.
Three Filipinos have already died—killed by Hamas terrorists who poured into Israel from Gaza and slaughtered civilians in their homes and at a music festival and took hostages.
Israel has announced it is activating a ground offensive against the Hamas group, and has given those in Gaza a deadline to evacuate the city.
It has been more than a week since the Palestine militant group Hamas struck Israel with a barrage of air, sea, and ground rockets, then sent gunmen into Israeli territory to sow terror among its civilians.
In retaliation, Israel launched air strikes on Hamas positions in Gaza and cut off electricity, water, and food to Gaza, warning 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza to flee south.
The OWWA said Sunday the repatriation of the remains of three Filipinos who were killed in Israel may take longer due to the ongoing war.
OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio said they are still exploring ways to repatriate the bodies at the earliest time.
“Under normal circumstances, [repatriation] would only take about a week. But now, because there is a war and the situation is extraordinary, it will probably take some time. That will take longer than one week,” Ignacio said in an interview with radio dzBB.
The three Filipino fatalities were identified as Loreta Alacre, a caregiver from Negros Oriental; Angeline Aguirre, a nurse; and Paul Vincent Castelvi, a 42-year-old caregiver.
Department of Migrant Workers officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said earlier that the repatriation of affected OFWs and the Filipino fatalities may be done through the same flight. — Rey E. Requejo
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