(Eagle News)–The Philippines’ Southeast Asian neighbors are offering assistance in helping repatriate Filipinos affected by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and have asked for help to ensure the safety of their own citizens.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Indonesia, for instance, is offering to help Filipinos leave the West Bank.
“While they have no presence in Gaza, obviously, but they have citizens in Gaza so they are asking our assistance,” he added.
According to the DFA official, President Bongbong Marcos has also “directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to contact other countries and also through the embassies in Manila to provide critical assistance in looking for Filipinos who are unaccounted for and to help the Philippines in getting them out of Gaza” as part of an international approach response to the conflict.
He said Israel has to agree to a humanitarian corridor and for Egypt to allow citizens to enter through its border for Filipinos to leave Gaza.
Filipino officials, he said, were also talking to their friends from Egypt about such an arrangement so Filipinos from Gaza who want repatriation could be taken there.
“And in the President’s words, what’s critical now is Gaza, and let’s keep exploring all possible exit options,” he said.
There are 131 Filipinos in Gaza, some of whom are Filipinos married to Palestinians who have settled in the territory with their children and grandchildren.