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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gaza border reopens; 39 Filipinos set to leave Tuesday

Gaza border reopens; 39 Filipinos set to leave Tuesday

Published Nov 7, 2023 09:25 am

Gaza's border with Egypt opened on Tuesday, ending the month-long wait of foreign nationals who have been seeking to leave the war-torn Palestinian territory.

Speaking in a press conference, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt opened at 9 am in Gaza or 3 pm in Manila.

A total of 39 Filipinos are expected to be able to cross to Egypt on Tuesday, and the DFA is hoping that seven more, who initially expressed their intention to leave Gaza but changed their minds, will follow.

"I'm pleased to inform you that today, they all have been approved for crossing today... They are [being called] by nationality, the people who will be crossing today, but what our embassy in Amman and our embassy in Cairo [are] certain of is by tonight, local time, they will be able to cross into Egypt," de Vega said.

The 39 are already at the border, while the seven are now having second thoughts, according to de Vega.

"Our embassies are still convincing the seven to cross because it might affect our future listings for future repatriation for the other Filipinos," he said.

De Vega also said that Palestinian spouses of Filipinos will also be allowed to leave Gaza, although government leaders are still waiting for the formalization of such development in writing.

"There's a statement that has been made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Israel verbally to [the Philippine] embassy that the Palestinian spouses of our nationals will be allowed," he said.

Such progress has given the Philippine government hope that more Filipinos will be to be repatriated.

Currently, there are still 135 Filipinos who remain in Gaza after two Filipino medical workers, who are members of humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders, were able to leave the territory during the short opening of the border.

Of the 135, only 46 expressed their willingness to be repatriated because the others did not want to leave their Palestinian spouses.

Initially, there were 134 Filipinos reported by the government who were still in the Palestinian territory. But a Filipina tourist who was with her Arab employer in Gaza was eventually discovered.

Her name was already submitted to authorities for smooth crossing to Egypt, de Vega said.

Meanwhile, the children and grandchildren of Filipinos holding foreign passports will be allowed to go out.

The border opening, which was expected to happen over the weekend, had been delayed twice, on Sunday and Monday, due to Israel's attack on an ambulance in Gaza and Hamas' attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, a total of 42 Filipinos who sought repatriation following Israel's war on Gaza will also arrive in the country on Tuesday.

They are the fourth batch of Filipinos that was repatriated by the government.

Meanwhile, as of Monday, six Filipinos remain in Gaza City, including a nun who decided to go back after seeking refuge in the southern part of the territory.

Related Tags

repatriates Gaza Israel-Hamas war border crossing
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