READY TO DEFEND. Israel Defense Forces reservists who received a "Decree 8" or IDF special immediate order for duty, in Judea and Samaria, replacing the regular soldiers who were sent to southern Israel. The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed that the two Filipinos killed following the Hamas attack on Saturday are among the six nationals earlier reported missing. (Tazpit Press Service photo)
MANILA – The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed that the two Filipinos killed following the Hamas attack on Saturday are among the six nationals earlier reported missing.
One of the fatalities was a newly married 33-year-old Filipino worker from Pangasinan while the second one was a 42-year-old male from Pampanga.
“Yes, they were part of the six. They were found probably two days after the attack,” Embassy Consul General Anthony Mandap said in a text message on Wednesday.
Another Filipino was reported dead but this will still be subject to confirmation by DNA evidence, the embassy said.
At present, there are still four Filipinos unaccounted for in Israel.
In a Palace briefing, Labor Attaché Rudy Gabasan said one of the two confirmed deaths was shot when the Hamas militants forced their way into their household in their kibbutz community in Israel near the Gaza border.
The circumstances of the second Filipino’s death, on the other hand, are still unclear.
READ: Marcos condemns killing of 2 Filipinos in Israel-Hamas conflict
Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr. said he already spoke with the wife of one of the fatalities on Tuesday to inform her of her husband’s demise.
“I promised her that the Embassy will provide all the necessary assistance she needs, the President will also speak to her today,” he said, adding that the embassy is working with authorities to retrieve the bodies.
Laylo assured that they continue to work with Israeli authorities to find the Filipinos who are still missing.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Embassy in Manila expressed sympathies to the kin of the two Filipinos.
“We offer prayers as well to those who are still missing. We strongly condemn the acts of terrorism by Hamas towards the innocent Israeli citizens and other nationalities in Israel,” it said. “Israel will continue to defend itself against Hamas."
Alert level 2
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday also raised Alert Level 2 in Israel, effectively “restricting” deployment of Filipinos in the country.
Alert Level 2 is issued when there are real threats to the life, security and property of Filipinos arising from internal disturbance in or external threat to the host country.
“We’re not going to deploy new workers which is actually status quo anyway,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said in the same briefing, explaining that there are still negotiations for deployment of Filipino caregivers with relevant Israeli agencies.
De Vega said the embassy would not recommend mandatory repatriation as the situation in Israel “has turned to certain sense of normalcy”.
He said the killings happened on the initial days of the conflict when Hamas launched a surprise assault in south Israel.
“The embassy has not recommended it because mandatory repatriation or alert level 4 is called when the country has broke(n) down and rule of law and everything about peace and order has broken down -- that is not the case with the State of Israel,” he said.
“We still urge precaution; the embassy already issued the travel advisory – we repeat that we do not recommend visits to Israel at the present time,” he added.
Repatriation of fatalities
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), meanwhile, vowed to bring home the remains of the two Filipinos who were killed in the ongoing conflict.
“Kami sa DMW ay nakikipagtulungan sa lahat ng sangay ng pamahalaan kabilang ang Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), ang mga Embahada natin sa Tel-Aviv, Israel at Amman, Jordan, kasama ang Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) na agarang maiuwi ang mga labi ng ating nasawing kababayan (We at the DMW is in close coordination with all government agencies including the DFA, and our embassies in Tel Aviv, Israel and Amman, Jordan, together with OWWA, for the immediate repatriation of the remains of our OFWs killed),” DMW officer-in-charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a statement.
Cacdac also assured assistance and speedy processing of due benefits for the victims' bereaved families.
He likewise appealed to the public for understanding for withholding the victims' identities.
“Sa kahilingan din ng mga pamilya ng nasawing kababayan natin ay hindi na muna namin ilalabas ang mga pangalan nito sa publiko, at hahayaan muna silang mag-anak sa panahon ng pagluluksa nila (Upon the request of the families of those killed, we will not announce their name in public, and allow their families to mourn in this time of grief),” Cacdac said.
Meanwhile, Cacdac said they have so far received 23 requests for repatriation.
During the briefing at the House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon, Cacdac said 14 of them work as caregivers, one is a hotel worker while the rest are residents and non-OFWs, according to the Philippine Embassy and the Migrant Workers Office in Tel Aviv.
However, the DMW said the repatriation process depends on the actual situation on the ground.
Cacdac said they have to consider the actual location of repatriates, as well as restrictions in travel and mobility, due to the sporadic eruption of hostilities and rocket exchanges.
While the Israeli government does not recommend the repatriation of foreign nationals so far, Cacdac assured that the repatriation of Filipinos would be done as soon as they are given the approval.
He added this would be undertaken in coordination with all concerned government agencies, as well as the Israeli authorities. (PNA)
