EVACUATION. Palestinians with their belongings flee their homes in Gaza City after Israel’s military issued an evacuation order on Oct. 13, 2023. Supplies are running low for the dozens of Filipinos waiting to flee Gaza as the Israeli offensive against the Hamas militant group continues and the borders of the besieged enclave remain closed. (Photo by Majdi Fathi/Tazpit Press Service)
MANILA – Supplies are running low for the dozens of Filipinos waiting to flee Gaza as the Israeli offensive against the Hamas militant group continues and the borders of the besieged enclave remain closed.
“They are safe, the question is kumusta na ‘yong kanilang supplies at syempre may blockade so limited ‘yong food and electricity sa Gaza (the question is, how is their supply. Of course there's a blockade so the food and electricity in Gaza are limited),” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview Tuesday.
De Vega said they also received a report that one of them has resorted to eating expired bread to get by.
“I won’t lie na napakaganda ng kondisyones nila nor is it na ‘yong ating mga opisyales sa Amman ay makakapasok (I won't lie that their condition there is ideal nor is it that our officials from Amman can enter to lend help),” he added.
But de Vega said talks between Egypt and Israel are continuous to allow the safe passage of foreigners out of the enclave.
The Rafah border between Egypt and Gaza, as well as the Kerem Shalom crossing from Gaza to Israel -- both in the southern portion of the coastal strip -- remain closed.
Israel shuttered the Kerem Shalom following the Hamas militant’s surprise attack on southern Israel last week, leaving Rafah the only viable option for people fleeing the conflict.
“Both sides ayaw nila na gagamitin itong pagbubukas para may makatakas na Hamas (Both sides want to avoid allowing the Hamas to leave),” de Vega said.
“Ang sabi ng Israeli it could be any day now na magbubukas so kailangan handa ‘yong ating mga kababayan (The Israelis said it could be any day now so our nationals must be ready),” he added.
De Vega said the names of Filipinos who registered for evacuation have been submitted to the Egyptian government for consideration.
READ: Border opening key for repatriation of Filipinos from Gaza -- DFA
“May guarantee tayo diyan, ang walang guarantee ay sa northern Gaza at city of Gaza kaya nananawagan kami kung may Filipino man doon to please leave and go to the other parts of Gaza close to the border (We have guarantee there, but we don't have one in the northern Gaza and Gaza City that's why we ask our nationals who are still there to go to other parts of Gaza close to the border),” he said.
As of Oct. 17, the number of Filipinos in Gaza is at 135, four of whom were added from the initial 131.
Of this number, some 78 are near the Rafah border and other parts of southern Gaza.
Missing in Israel
Meanwhile, de Vega said three Filipinos in Israel are still missing since Oct. 7 but said there is still no confirmation whether they are among the people abducted by the Hamas group into Gaza Strip.
“We don’t have confirmation that the reason they are missing is because they were kidnapped by Hamas,” he said.
The bodies of the two of the three Filipino fatalities, on the other hand, are expected to be repatriated within the month.
The other casualty will be cremated and will be brought home by his wife around November, de Vega said. (PNA)
