THE Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday raised Alert Level 4 calling for mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in the Gaza Strip amid growing evidence that Israel is set to conduct a ground offensive after more than a week of heavy aerial bombardments against Hamas militants.
Alert level 4 is the highest in the four-tiered alert system used by the DFA.
“Ang ibig sabihin ng mandatory evacuation ay hindi “yung pupuntahan namin kayo tapos hahatakin na lumabas. Pero sinasabi namin sa inyo na lumikas na kayo (Mandatory evacuation does not mean that we will drag you out. But we are telling all of you to evacuate),” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo.
De Vega said it would be better for all to heed the call for mandatory evacuation, adding that the government would be in a more difficult situation to assist Filipinos in Gaza if the situation worsens further.
Gaza authorities said over 2,300 people had been killed and nearly 10,000 wounded as Israel intensified its bombings across Gaza City and the north.
Last Friday, De Vega said about half of the 137 Filipinos in Gaza have signified their intention to return to Manila amid the daily Israeli bombardments and clashes between Israel forces and the Hamas. He said 85 of them are now in southern Sudan near the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, awaiting repatriation, while 46 remain in Gaza City, who are still uncertain about leaving. Many of the Filipinos in Gaza are married to Palestinian nationals.
De Vega yesterday said the number of Filipinos who want to exit Gaza “vary day by day’ because there are others who remain undecided.
Asked when those who chose to be repatriated would be brought home, De Vega in a Viber message said the DFA through the country’s embassy in Amman, Jordan is working overtime on the repatriation.
“We are working on it diplomatically. We are working around-the-clock to save lives. But we cannot say exactly when since we are not in control of the situation. All countries with citizens there are also having similar problem. Their citizens also could not exit from Gaza,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
De Vega said Egypt is the key to successful repatriation not only of Filipinos but other nationals through its controlled Rafah border crossing.
“We hope there is a breakthrough and Egypt will allow them to cross as soon as possible. It is a problem for all. So, the world is working together to find a solution. Egypt insists that Israel allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza before Egypt allows foreign nationals to enter their territory from Gaza,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv said eight Filipinos from Israel are set to be flown to Manila today.
There are around 30,500 Filipinos in Israel, mostly in Tel Aviv and Haifa, working as household service workers or caregivers as well in the hotel and service industries sectors.
Three Filipinos — two females and one male — have been killed so far since the Hamas attack.
The government has placed Israel under Alert Level 2 and also issued a travel advisory against traveling to the country until the security situation in the country stabilizes.
Level 2 means non-essential movements are restricted and Filipinos are told to avoid places of protests and other areas where people tend to congregate in large numbers.
‘HOLY HOUR’
The Archdiocese of Manila yesterday called on the faithful to observe “Holy Hour” on Tuesday for peace to reign in the Holy Land.
“In solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, we request that our parishes and communities gather our people for prayer like the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament/Holy Hour and the praying of the rosary on October 17, 2023 or any day your community decides,” said Manila Archdiocese vice chancellor Fr. Carmelo Arada.
He said the move is in accordance with the call of Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Cardinal Pizzaballa for peace in the Holy Land.
“I invite all parishes and religious communities to a day of fasting and prayer for peace and reconciliation. We ask that on Tuesday, October 17, everyone hold a day of fasting, abstinence, and prayer,” said Pizzaballa as quoted by Arada.
“Let us organize prayer times with Eucharistic adoration and with the recitation of the Rosary to Our Blessed Virgin Mary,” he added.
The Archdiocese of Manila said it is set to send the special prayer prepared by its Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission. — With Gerard Naval
