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.”
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By Liezelle Soriano
The government of Egypt has vowed to prioritize Filipinos to move out of Gaza amid the raging Israel-Hamas war as soon as the Rafah border opens a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said Friday.
Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said that the Rafah border is the crossing near Egypt which is the safest way out for Filipinos trapped in Gaza.
“Kinausap ko ang ambassador ng Egypt kahapon at sinabi ng kanilang pamahalaan na bibigyan ng priority ang mga Pilipinong lulusot. Pangako niya ‘yan na bibigyan tayo ng priority sa border,” De Vega said in a radio interview.
De Vega said that he was unable to provide an exact schedule for the opening of the border at this time but that it may happen “within the next 24 hours” or “any day now.”
“Kung hindi man, well at least may positive news tayo na naguusap ang mga pamahalaan. Kasi kung hindi makalabas [ang foreign nationals], eh parang hindi successful ang diplomatic approach ng Presidente ng United States of America,” he added.
Earlier, the Philippines placed Gaza under alert level 4, making it mandatory for Filipinos to evacuate.
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EGYPT initiated diplomatic discussions with both Israelis and Palestinians as hostilities in the region escalated on Sunday.
Following a significant attack by Hamas that prompted retaliatory airstrikes from Israel, the Egyptian Presidency disclosed that President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi had engaged in a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron to deliberate on efforts aimed at de-escalation.
Egypt, in an official statement, affirmed its commitment to conducting intensive dialogues with Israeli and Palestinian parties, along with engaging regional and international stakeholders, in an effort to quell the current upsurge in tensions. However, specific details regarding these talks were not disclosed.
President Sisi issued a stern warning against allowing the region to descend into a perilous cycle of tension, emphasizing the risk it poses to regional stability and security.
In addition to diplomatic efforts, Egypt urged both Palestinians and Israelis to exercise restraint and prevent further endangerment of civilian lives.
The Israeli Health Ministry reported that Hamas’s extensive rocket attacks and infiltration near the Gaza Strip on Saturday resulted in the tragic loss of over 300 Israeli lives and left more than 1,500 people injured.
In response, Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza, resulting in the casualties of over 230 Palestinians and injuries to hundreds more, as confirmed by the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is now in a state of war with Hamas and subsequently called upon Gaza’s civilian population to evacuate, as the Israeli military was prepared to dismantle “all Hamas hiding places.”
Source Anadulo
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