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Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte expressed fears on Tuesday, Oct. 17 that the Israel-Hamas war could escalate into a bigger conflict in the Middle East.

“Time is obviously running out as the conflict could turn from bad to worse in a matter of hours or days,” said Villafuerte, majority leader of the Commission on Appointments (CA).

The Bicolano was referring to the concerns of White House national security officials fear that the war could result to wider fighting across the Middle East, in the event that the Lebanese group Hezbollah or Iran gets involved in the fighting.

There are about 30,000 Filipinos in Israel. The Palestinian-occupied Gaza Strip sits south of the country on its border with Egypt.

It was from Gaza that Hamas rebels launched a surprise rocket on Israel last Oct. 7.

To the east of Israel is Jordan, which sandwiches with the country another Palestine territory, the West Bank. At the northern top of Israel past the Golan Heights is Lebanon.

Villafuerte has backed calls for the opening of humanitarian corridors in southern Gaza to allow innocent civilians, especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), to leave at once, most likely via Egypt or Jordan, before the Israeli military rolls out its ground assault against Hamas.

“I am one with those calling for the opening of a humanitarian corridor in southern Gaza—as spearheaded by the UN (United Nations) or other international institutions—to get all innocent civilians, most especially our OFWs, out of harm’s way before the Israeli defense forces mounts its announced land incursion into the Hamas-controlled Gaza City on the northern part of this Palestinian enclave,” he said.

“The opening of a safe exit via the Rafah crossing will also enable the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to make good on President Marcos’ assurance on the repatriation of the three Filipino casualties at the soonest," noted Villafuerte.

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said last weekend that the Philippine government had accounted for 131 Filipinos in Gaza, of whom 78 were already near the Rafah border crossing near Egypt.

“All the rest have left northern Gaza or Gaza City, which is expected to be the main site for hostilities...The Philippine government continues to work on the repatriation of our nationals," the DFA said.