Prolonged Israel-Egypt border closure stalls evacuation of Pinoys in Gaza

The continued closure of a vital border crossing between Israel and Egypt is stalling the Philippine government’s efforts to evacuate more than 130 Filipinos stranded in Hamas-controlled Gaza, a senior Foreign Affairs official said Wednesday.

“We are hoping that the corridor will be opened so that foreign nationals will be able to cross as soon as possible,” Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega told a press briefing. “We are ready. Our embassy in Cairo is ready.”

De Vega said several buses are waiting at the Egypt side of the Rafah border crossing to transport to the Egyptian capital Cairo the estimated 70 to 80 Filipinos trapped in Gaza as Israeli forces prepare for ground assault.

Israel, according to De Vega, told the Philippine side to prepare the evacuation of Filipinos “any day,” but no specific date was given.

“They gave no assurances. They just say to be prepared to leave; that’s why they say any day now. But we are ready. The Filipinos are there,” the DFA official said.

Manila is enforcing security alert level 4 for Gaza, which calls for the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in conflict areas.

De Vega said Egypt has informed Philippine diplomats that the decision to open the border is “not up to them” as the Israelis “are still controlling that part.”

“The Egyptians are always saying it is not up to them; it is not their fault that no foreigners could cross,” he said.

Once the Filipinos and other foreigners are allowed to cross the border, De Vega said they would still have to go through the processing of entry permits in Egypt.

“We are not the only country facing this problem. Other countries cannot repatriate their nationals, too,” he said.

US Ambassador Mary Kay Carlson said Philippine and American officials in Manila and Washington are in constant coordination to ensure the safety of their stranded citizens in Gaza.

“We are coordinating with all our friends and partners, and this is something that we in the State Department are working on with the Philippine Embassy in Washington, with our embassy communicating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and with the Palace as well on ways that we might be able to coordinate to relieve the humanitarian nightmare that so many people are living through for our US citizens and for Philippine citizens,” Carlson told Filipino journalists on Wednesday at her residence.

According to DFA data, 135 Filipinos, mostly married to Palestinians, and two doctors reside in Gaza. All are accounted for and safe, De Vega said.

De Vega said many of them may stay behind if their Palestinian spouses are left behind.

A massive explosion on Wednesday rocked a hospital in Gaza, killing hundreds of people, including those seeking shelter from Israeli airstrikes. Israel and Hamas traded accusations of carrying out the bombing as the incident drew international rage and condemnation.

Ma. Theresa Lazaro, DFA Undersecretary for Policy, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which the Philippines is a member, along with three others that do not recognize the state of Israel, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, will be issuing a statement anytime on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

It was not clear how the 10-member bloc could come up with a unified stand on the issue, as members have varying positions on Hamas and the Palestine issue. As a policy, ASEAN, which also includes Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, decides by consensus.

“We are being careful of what’s happening and the nuances. ASEAN has different affiliations,” Lazaro said, adding that the draft being circulated among members for approval is currently “limited to terrorism and violence." —VBL, GMA Integrated News