Israel to provide lifelong benefits, regular stipends to freed Filipino hostage
The Israeli government has pledged to grant lifelong social security benefits and regular stipends to freed Filipino hostage Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco and his family.
These benefits are comparable to those provided to Israelis who are victims of terrorist attacks, according to the Philippine Embassy in Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen personally visited Pacheco in the hospital, where he is recovering after spending 49 days in captivity in Gaza.
"I am only alive because of the Lord. Even on the day they abducted me, I was really thinking about my family. While I was in Gaza, I just wanted to live for my family,” Pacheco said.
Following a four-day humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas, Pacheco and others were released from war-torn Gaza. Pacheco had been abducted during the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7.
The first batch of hostages, including Pacheco, was freed under the truce agreement. Thirteen Israeli hostages, including four children and six elderly women, returned to Israeli territory for medical checks before being reunited with their families.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed the commitment to bring all hostages home, considering it one of the war's goals.
The Israeli Embassy in Manila reported Jimmy Pacheco's release and his undergoing medical evaluations at Shamir Medical Center. Philippine Ambassador Pedro Laylo Jr. and senior representatives from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed him after his release from Hamas.
