In a press conference on Friday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. disclosed that Israel has pledged its support to facilitate the departure of Filipinos from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing, with the evacuation expected to occur by either Friday or Saturday, ensuring their safe relocation to Egypt.
The commitment was established following a meeting between Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr. and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as announced by President Marcos at the Malacañan Palace in Manila.
President Marcos stated, “They have given us their assurance that Filipinos will be allowed to depart either today or tomorrow and at the latest, by Saturday.”
He continued, “This is the latest information I received this morning from our Secretary of the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), and I hope it becomes a reality soon so we can facilitate the departure of those who wish to leave and bring them back safely to our homeland.”
Marcos affirmed that the Philippine Embassy in Cairo is fully prepared to provide support to Filipinos who will cross the Rafah border and ultimately be repatriated. Additionally, he mentioned that the Philippine government has extended its assistance to other Southeast Asian nations whose citizens are also stranded in the Gaza Strip.
Concerning the situation, Marcos expressed, “I know many people are concerned about our Filipino nationals in Gaza, in the middle of the conflict. We received reports that those in Gaza are still unable to exit through the Rafah crossing, and some are questioning why. Unfortunately, it is beyond our control. It is a matter between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are currently 134 Filipinos in the Gaza Strip, with 115 of them awaiting permission to cross the border.
President Marcos acknowledged that some Filipinos, particularly those married to Palestinians, are grappling with the decision of whether to leave Gaza. He explained, “There is a complication as well because some of the Filipino nationals are women who are married to Palestinians. Palestinians are not permitted to leave.”
He added, “Many of them are undecided about whether they want to leave or not because, of course, they do not want to leave their spouses and their children.”
(ai/mnm)
