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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 6 Pinoys return to Gaza City; 49 unreachable—DFA exec, envoy

6 Pinoys return to Gaza City; 49 unreachable—DFA exec, envoy

Published Oct 31, 2023 08:16 am

The Philippine Embassy in Jordan said that 49 Filipinos remained unreachable at the Gaza Strip, while the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that six Filipinos have returned to Gaza City from the south.

Gaza_bombing.jpgBombing in Gaza (Photo from AFP)

Ambassador Wilfredo Santos said on Monday night, Oct. 30, that they were able to contact 87 Filipinos in war-torn Gaza Strip. This came even after Israeli telecommunication lines were cut off there and Paltel Group, which provides communications services in Gaza gradually restored landline, mobile, and internet services.

The embassy in Amman, Jordan, has jurisdiction over Filipinos and Philippine concerns in the Gaza Strip.

Santos gave an update about the Filipinos’ situation in the strife-torn territory on ANC’s The World Tonight.

“We were able to get in touch with the Filipinos starting at 4 a.m. today. We were able to contact 87 Filipinos, including 57 in Rafah. 49 Filipinos remain unreachable for now but we continue to get in touch with them,” he said.

“While their food supply is sufficient, access to water is becoming increasing difficult,” the envoy added.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said in a radio interview that a family of six Filipinos and two Palestinians returned to the Gaza Strip as the Rafah border crossing near Egypt remains closed.

The Rafah border crossing is the only way out of war-torn Gaza.

“Sino tong anim? Bumalik sila (Who are these six? They returned) from the south because they lack space in the quarters where they are staying,” the official shared.

Currently, there are still nine Filipino nationals in Gaza City, which is now being hit by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Of the nine Filipinos, there are three who want to remain there, including a Filipino nun.

De Vega, however, said that there was no information yet on the status of two missing Filipinos, and that they are considering them as “hostages.”

The Philippine government has raised Alert Level 4, or mandatory repatriation, in Gaza Strip but the border it shares with Egypt remains closed.

Related Tags

Israel Department of Foreign Affairs Gaza Strip Wilfredo Santos Eduardo De Vega
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