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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 41 more Gaza repatriates Gaza arrive in PH; remaining Filipinos urged to leave as situation worsens

41 more Gaza repatriates Gaza arrive in PH; remaining Filipinos urged to leave as situation worsens

Published Nov 13, 2023 08:11 am

​A total of 41 more Filipinos from Gaza arrived in the Philippines on Sunday night and 14 others are expected to follow as the Philippine government continues its repatriation efforts in the war-torn Palestinian territory.

The recent repatriates are part of the second batch of those who went back to the country after the first batch composed of 35 Filipinos arrived in Manila on Friday afternoon.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)​ Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega is calling on the remaining Filipinos ​there to leave and take advantage of the current border opening as the situation there has already turned very bad amid the Israel-Hamas war.

"Napakasama na ng condition ngayon sa Gaza, kaya mabuti pa'y tugunan ninyo ang pananawagan namin na mandatory repatriation, at pagsamantalahan na habang ngayon, bukas pa ang border crossing (The condition now in Gaza is very bad, so it's better if you respond to our call for mandatory repatriation and take advantage of the border crossing, which is still opened)," de Vega, who is currently in Cairo, said in an interview with GMA News.

​"We hope na​ (that) in the next ​few days​, tumawid kayo​ (you cross the border)," he added as the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt is only being opened for a certain period of time as war continues.

From the original 137 Filipinos in Gaza, there are now about 39 remaining.

​On Nov. 1, two Filipino members of humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders managed to leave during the first border opening. They did not go back to the Philippines as they would be deployed to a different country.

During the second border opening, 40 Filipinos exited Gaza. Thirty-five were re​patriated Nov. 1​0—the first batch to arrive in Manila—while five decided to stay in Egypt.

Meanwhile, the ​next group of those who crossed the border were composed of 56 Filipinos. Forty-one of them ​formed the second batch of repatriates who arrived in Manila on Sunday night​, while one decided to stay in Egypt and 14 returned again to Gaza.

The 14 returned because their Palestinian spouses were not given security clearance to leave, de Vega said in a recent interview..

And on Monday, Nov. 13, the DFA reported that the fourth batch composed of 14 Filipinos exited Gaza.

​"The ​embassy team at the Egyptian side of the border, led by Vice Consul Bojer B. Capati, assisted the Filipinos and coordinated with the Egyptian border authorities. This was made possible through the assistance of the Egyptian Government and the close coordination with the Philippine Embassies in Amman, Jordan and Tel Aviv, Israel​," DFA said in a statement.

​"As soon as they reach Cairo, the third batch of Filipinos from Gaza will be provided accommodations and after some rest they will soon head hom​e," it added.

Related Tags

Department of Foreign Affairs Gaza Israel-Hamas war
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