Third Filipino killed in Israel-Hamas war
Another Filipino has been killed in Israel as it waged war with Hamas militants, raising the number of Filipinos killed in conflict to 3.
The fatality was a 49-year-old Filipina caregiver from Negros Occidental.
Her family and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. were aware of her death.
The Philippine government is working with the family, the embassy, and Israel for the repatriation of the remains.
There are some 30,000 Filipinos in Israel, mostly working as caregivers.
Meanwhile, 131 Filipinos remained in Hamas-run Gaza, including 3 tourists.
At least 92 Filipinos sought repatriation from the enclave, but none have been repatriated yet due to the blockade.
The DFA is working with diplomatic partners to find a solution.
Three other Filipinos remained missing nearly a week since the surprise assault by Hamas and Israel's military retaliation.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said, "However, it does not mean that there is no hope.
Possibly, these 3 will show up."
President Marcos Jr. directed the DFA to seek critical assistance from other governments to look for Filipinos unaccounted for and help them get out of Gaza.
The current "immediate concern" is repatriation from Gaza.
The DFA is preparing for the opening of humanitarian corridors in Gaza.
The Embassy in Cairo is sending a team to the border to assist in bringing the Filipinos back to the Philippines.
Anabella, the sister of Israeli caregiver Loreta Alacre, asked the government to repatriate her sibling's remains as soon as possible.
Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro said his agency is ready to facilitate repatriation of Filipinos in Israel.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año will push for the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization under the Anti-Terrorism Law.
Israel has massed forces, tanks, and other heavy armor around Gaza and called up 300,000 reservists.
The army has bombarded Gaza with approximately 6,000 munitions containing a total of 4,000 tonnes of explosives since Saturday.
Palestinian officials reported more than 1,350 dead, most of them civilians.
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