Six Filipinos returned to Gaza City as Egypt borders remains closed
The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has reported that six Filipinos have returned to Gaza City amidst challenges surrounding the opening of the Rafah crossing to Egypt.
According to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega, these individuals had journeyed to the border 20 days ago with the expectation of obtaining safe passage.
“Their decision to return was prompted by the challenges they were facing. Waiting in southern Gaza for foreigners to be permitted to cross was proving to be quite challenging for them,” De Vega said in a press conference, saying “they are still safe.”
De Vega also explained that due to the cramped conditions, these Filipinos opted to return to their residences in Gaza City, the largest city in the area. Regrettably, Gaza City is currently under attack by Israel.
“We initially believed they would be able to cross without issues, but then a bureaucratic complication arose.”
He also pointed out that Filipinos at the border receive food assistance from the international community through humanitarian aid. However, the challenge they face is that they are competing with other individuals for supplies in the same area.
“They are struggling to secure basic necessities, such as bread. Although they have food, they are not consuming much due to the need to economize given the limited resources.”
He also mentioned that there are difficulties in accessing water and electricity.
De Vega mentioned that Egypt is planning to commence the process of opening the border soon, as it has made the decision to admit wounded Palestinians who lack access to medical care.
There are currently 136 Filipinos still in Gaza, with an additional 10 individuals whose whereabouts are unknown. This count does not encompass their spouses who hold different nationalities.
Four Filipinos have lost their lives, and there are concerns that two others are missing and may have been abducted by the militants.
