'Handful' of Filipinos unaccounted for amid Israel-Hamas conflict — DFA
MANILA, Philippines — A few Filipinos in Israel were unaccounted for following the bloody escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.
“There are a handful of Filipinos unaccounted for in southern [Israel]. Less than 10, around five or six,” DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.
There are around 30,000 Filipinos in Israel, but most of them live outside the conflict area in the southern region near the Gaza Strip.
De Vega added that eight Filipino caregivers were rescued by the Israel Defense Forces.
In a separate TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview, Department of Migrant Workers officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said that more than 2,000 Filipinos “marked themselves safe” in an online survey.
“We’re still trying to account for some overseas Filipino workers who still need assistance. We haven’t confirmed any injuries or deaths yet,” Cacdac said.
Philippine authorities are still verifying reports of Filipinos being captured by Hamas militants.
Filipino workers in Israel and their families can contact the DMW’s hotline +63 2 1348 or the following WhatsApp and Viber numbers: +63 9083268344, +63 9271478186 or +63 9205171059 for emergencies.
The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv announced that it will resume its operations Monday. The embassy may be contacted at +972-54-4661188 or +972-50-911-4017.
More than 700 Israelis have been killed since Hamas launched its surprise large-scale attack Saturday. Meanwhile, Gaza officials reported at least 413 deaths in the impoverished and blockaded enclave, which was hammered by intense Israeli air strikes.
The Philippines condemned the attacks on Israel and said it understands the state’s rights to self-defense.
The escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine follows months of rising violence, mostly in the occupied West Bank, and tensions around Gaza's border and at contested holy sites in Jerusalem. — with report from Agence France-Presse
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