2 Pinoys killed in Hamas raids – DFA

MANILA, Philippines — Two Filipinos have been killed in Israel as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intensifies, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said yesterday.

“The Philippines condemns the killing of two Filipino nationals and all other acts of terrorism and violence as a result of Hamas actions against Israel,” Manalo wrote in a post on X, confirming two Filipino casualties but without giving further details.

He said the Philippines is ready to work with other countries toward a long-lasting resolution to the conflict, in accordance with pertinent United Nations Security Council resolutions and the general principles of international law.

“The Philippine government will continue to provide all possible assistance to distressed Filipino nationals in Israel and Palestine,” he added.

Israel likewise condemned the killing of the two Filipino caregivers and expressed sympathies to the families of the casualties.

“The embassy of the State of Israel in Manila expresses its deepest sympathies to the families of the two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were confirmed dead due to the Hamas terror attacks in Israel,” the Israel embassy said in a statement. “We offer prayers as well to those who are still missing.”

Israel said it has the full right to respond and protect itself following the deadly attacks by the militant Hamas early Saturday morning.

“We strongly condemn the acts of terrorism by Hamas towards the innocent Israeli citizens and other nationalities in Israel. Israel will continue to defend itself against Hamas,” the embassy said.

The Philippines on Monday reiterated that the country recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense.

The two fatalities who were working in the Gaza envelope were among the six Filipinos unaccounted for.

A DNA test on a body found by Israeli authorities would be made to determine if it is of the female caregiver who, according to her sister also working in Israel, has been missing since the outbreak of violence.

The bodies of the two OFWs were in police custody when the embassy was notified of their deaths.

The body of the female OFW was found first, but it took time to confirm and needed collection of DNA samples from relatives for comparison.

The male OFW was identified through biometric data.

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched Saturday morning an attack on Israel, including thousands of indiscriminate rockets, prompting intensive strikes by Israel and a complete siege of the Gaza Strip.

The international community condemned in the strongest terms the attack by Hamas against Israeli towns.

The UN said hundreds of?Israelis have been killed and thousands injured. Scores are also being held captive facing appalling threats to their lives.

Hundreds of ?Palestinians have also been killed and thousands?injured in intense bombing in Gaza.

Israeli authorities on Monday ordered the shutting off of electricity, water, food and fuel supplies.

The UN urged all parties to stop targeting civilians and spare civilian lives.

UN rights chief Volker Türk demanded that Hamas and other armed groups immediately release their hostages.

Marcos Jr. condemns killing

President Marcos yesterday condemned the killing of two Filipinos in Israel as the Philippine government is bracing for possible evacuation efforts in areas affected by hostilities by Israeli forces and Islamist Hamas militants.

“My heart is heavy upon hearing the confirmation of the deaths of two Filipinos in Israel. The Philippines condemns these killings and stands firmly against the ongoing terror and violence,” Marcos said in a statement.

The Philippine embassy in Israel declined to identify the fatalities, but revealed that one of them was a 33-year-old newly married female from Pangasinan who worked in Israel for six years, while the other was a 42-year-old married male from Pampanga.

Labor Attaché Rudy Gabasan said one of the Filipinos, a caregiver, was gunned down by Hamas militants who were trying to enter a house. The other Filipino fatality was reportedly seized by Hamas members during Saturday’s attack.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, however, claimed that it was not likely that the Filipino victim was held hostage and then taken to the Gaza Strip to be executed.

“But out of respect, the wishes of the family, as the ambassador has indicated, we are not going to give details. Perhaps, the President will speak about it. But for now, no, we are not going to give more details other than that they died on Saturday,” De Vega said.

Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr. said he talked to the wife of one of the Filipino victims last Tuesday night, describing it as “the most difficult phone call” in his career.

“I spoke to the wife of one of the victims to inform her of this sad news and to convey our sympathies. I promised her that the embassy will provide all the necessary assistance she needs,” Laylo said.

“The President will also speak to her today (Oct. 11) to convey his personal condolences and offer additional assistance,” he added.

Vice Consul Patricia Narajos said another Filipino was reportedly killed during the attack, but the information is still being confirmed through DNA testing.

Narajos added that three Filipinos are still missing while 26 others have been rescued.

Marcos said the Philippine government would remain “resolute” in the pursuit of lasting peace in line with UN resolutions and international laws.

“The Philippine government would not cease sending support to Filipinos affected by the ongoing conflict between Israeli troops and Hamas,” he added.

The President has instructed agencies and the Filipino community to work closely with the Philippine embassy in Tel Aviv and the migrant workers office in Israel to ensure their safety.

Alert Level 2

Laylo said the Philippine embassy is not yet recommending mandatory repatriation in Israel, noting that the Israeli Defense Forces have already regained the areas attacked by Hamas.

The DFA, however, has placed Israel under Alert Level 2 or restricted deployment.

Under Alert Level 2, Filipinos are instructed to restrict non-essential movements, avoid public places and prepare for evacuation, if needed.

“We’re not going to deploy new workers, which is actually a status quo, anyway, because we still have to negotiate the agreement about caregivers and about the hotel workers by a G2G (government-to-government) agreement and right now, there is no deployment,” de Vega said.

He added that mandatory repatriation or Alert Level 4 is called when the peace and order and rule of law in a country has broken down.

Consul General Anton Mandap reported the situation “has considerably improved since (Oct. 7).”

De Vega reiterated the government’s appeal for Filipinos to postpone their visits to the Holy Land until the conflict has subsided.

AFP ready

While the Marcos administration does not see the need to repatriate Filipinos in Israel for now, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is ready to conduct evacuation efforts for Filipinos affected by the hostilities.

AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said at least two C-130 and one C-295 military planes could be used for the evacuation operations.

Aguilar added that Adana Airport in Turkey has been identified as a temporary safe haven for Filipinos in case the conflict escalates.

As the Philippines monitors the situation in Israel, Marcos met with Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss at Malacañang yesterday.

In a Facebook post, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Fluss briefed Marcos on the latest information from Israel and the “brutal attacks” being made against his country.

“During their discussion, the President expressed concern for the three Filipinos that remain unaccounted for in Israel, and the ambassador assured the President that Israel is doing all it can to ensure the safety of our nationals,” the PCO said.

During yesterday’s briefing of the House committee on workers’ affairs on the situation of OFWs in Israel, the DFA and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) also reported that almost 100 Filipinos in Israel and in the disputed Gaza Strip in Palestinian territories have requested to be repatriated in the wake of the escalating tension there.

Of the 100 Filipinos, 70 are women married to Palestinians or their children who already want to return to the Philippines.

The 70 Filipinos are among the 137 Filipinos living near Gaza Strip, according to De Vega.

The DFA official, however, stressed that this could not easily be done because there is a blockade in Gaza and there is no way in or out.

DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said 23 Filipinos in Israel are currently lined up for repatriation, of whom 14 are caregivers, one is a hotel worker while the rest are permanent residents and non-OFWs.

Missing sister

In a related development, the family of missing Negrense caregiver Loreta Villarin Alacre, 49, who was among the party revelers attending  the Supernova Music Festival outside Kibbutz Re’im near the Gaza Strip, is pleading to the government to exert more efforts in locating her.

In a phone interview, the victim’s elder sister Annabella Alacre said her younger sister, who has been working as a caregiver for 15 years in Haifa and Tel Aviv, remains unreachable as of yesterday, after Hamas fighters attacked the music festival site on Saturday, which she and her fellow caregivers were attending while on their day off.

A day before she went missing, Annabella said they were able to contact her.

While there were reports that she had been taken among the captives of Hamas militants, Annabella disclosed that it remains unconfirmed.

Noam Solomon, Loreta’s employer, has already posted on her social media account about the missing caregiver, a resident of Sitio Camay an, Brgy. Cadiz Viejo in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. –  Alexis Romero, Michael Punongbayan, Sheila Crisostomo, Gilbert Bayoran, Mayen Jaymalin, Delon Porcalla, Evelyn Macairan