Philippines’ MANILA Seven Filipinos who were working in Israel close to the Gaza Strip are missing and are believed to have been abducted by Hamas, a Palestinian militant organization that has attacked the Jewish state, sources said yesterday.
The Filipinos were unable to be reached on their mobile phones, and it was noted that they had not used social media since the attacks.
Six Filipinos were listed as being unaccounted for in a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) from the Philippine embassy in Tel Aviv. The location of the Filipinos’ homes and places of employment, as well as any potential hostage situations, were not included in the embassy report. The embassy claimed that it was impossible to get in touch with the Filipinos via phone or through their social media pages.
“To determine their condition, the embassy is coordinating nonstop with Israeli security officials and community contacts. We’re still waiting for them to respond, the embassy stated.
Arnell Ignacio, the head of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), put the number of missing people at five, denying rumors that they had been taken captive by extremists.
He claimed that one of the Filipinos had been treated at a hospital for a minor bullet wound received during the rescue operation. He was recognized by OWWA as Joey Fasulingan.
The DFA confirmed this, stating that the Filipino patient received care at a hospital in Be’ersheva. After receiving medical attention for smoke inhalation, another Filipino was taken to a hotel in Tel Aviv.
video of a missing person
A Filipina contacted the embassy to let officials know that she had seen her husband—a Filipino and one of the six people still missing—in one of the social media videos that appeared to show a guy being held by armed men and most likely being brought to Gaza.
This was urgently communicated to the Israeli military authorities by the Post (embassy). Post views the wife’s report as being crucial even if she is unable to independently confirm his identity based solely on the video. On his situation, we are also collaborating with local connections, the embassy added.
As of yesterday, 20 Filipinos have been saved and relocated to hotels or other secure locations. There are roughly 30,000 Filipinos living in Israel, according to figures kept by the Population and Immigration Authority of Israel.
The DFA reported that Filipinos in Gaza have requested repatriation through the Philippine embassy in Amman, Jordan.
The number of Filipinos asking to return home may alter, the embassy warned, as some of them are still unsure.
However, according to the embassy, “as of date, 25 who have indicated their intention, informed Post they want to leave Gaza.” In Gaza, there are 137 Filipinos, according to the DFA.
All plane travel to Israel has been strongly advised to be put on hold indefinitely or until things have returned to normal by the Philippine embassy in Tel Aviv due to the unstable security situation.
The Ben Gurion International Airport is still open in the meantime, and flights from Israel to the Philippines are still operating. However, those who have confirmed flights are encouraged to check with their travel agency for any potential flight disruptions, according to the embassy’s caution.
accounted for by 5
Five Filipinos, Grace Cabrera, Shelly Morillo, Norilyn Babadilla, Gallenor Pacheco, and Loreta Alacre, according to OWWA’s Ignacio, have been located.
Ignacio claims that OWWA staff members brought Pacheco’s spouse from the Cagayan Valley so she could personally receive an update on the situation in Israel.
Officer-in-charge of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Hans Cacdac, stated that the search for the five missing Filipinos is still going on.
“Efforts are ongoing. They may be in safe rooms or homes where they have relocated or migrated to areas where their fellow Filipinos may be, according to Cacdac.
He said that some Filipinos may have chosen to turn off their cell phones, making it difficult to communicate with them.
He said that the DMW had helped 25 OFWs and their families so far by keeping an eye on their status and relocating them to a safer location.
According to DMW, 281 Filipinos in Gaza responded to a Google survey by stating they were safe. Four people requested help.
Ignacio emphasized that the OWWA is prepared to repatriate Filipinos who choose to do so.
He said in Filipino, “If given full approval to repatriate, there won’t be any problem for us, since we have the experience to do it.
Ignacio noted that in the past, many Filipinos living in Israel preferred to be evacuated to safer locations rather than returned.
He noted that the government already has a backup plan in place and is prepared to implement it, which includes repatriation.
Joy Belmonte, the mayor of Quezon City, has voiced concern over the current escalation of the violence between Israel and Hamas, which has led to hundreds of fatalities and thousands of displaced people.
for the sister city, prayer
Belmonte stated in a statement that she and the city administration are praying for harmony and the security of everyone in the impacted areas, particularly in Rishon LeZion, Quezon City’s sister city in Israel.
The mayor added, “Our sympathies are also on the thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers who may be impacted by this regrettable event.
“We join the rest of the world in demanding an end to this violent turmoil, which has already resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent men, women, and children. To prevent the situation from getting worse, it is hoped that everyone involved will show the utmost caution.
Belmonte emphasized the value of uniting individuals “to advocate a lasting and sustainable peace.”
Norman Tansingco, the commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), announced Wednesday that special teams had been formed to speed up the processing of paperwork for Filipinos and their families who would be returning from Israel.
“Should they come in special flights, we will have a dedicated team to process their documents immediately upon arrival,” Tansingco stated in a statement. He claimed that they are working closely with both the DFA and the DMW.
“The safety of our kababayans is a top priority for the government,” he declared. The BI will do everything it can to support organizations working on the repatriation of Filipinos.
George Garcia, the chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), announced that the electoral board has put on hold indefinitely the registration of foreign citizens to vote in Israel’s national and local elections in 2025.
Garcia cited the rise of violence in Israel and Gaza as the reason they were forced to halt registration. He stated that a resolution halting the overseas voter registration in Israel is anticipated to be approved tomorrow by the Comelec as a whole. — Janvic Mateo and Evelyn Macairan
