DFA confirms 4th Pinoy fatality in Israel-Hamas war

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Thursday announced another Filipino casualty in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, bringing to four the total number of Philippine nationals killed in the conflict.

"Out of respect for the wishes of the family, we shall be withholding details on the identity of the victim. But we have assured the family of the Government’s full support and assistance," Manalo said on X (formerly Twitter).

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Thursday, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Ed de Vega said the fourth casualty, a female caregiver, was one of the three Filipinos earlier reported missing.

The three Filipinos were reported missing since the October 7 surprise attack by Hamas militants against Israel.

“Isang dahilan po kaya di namin mabibigay, hindi pa nila ipinaalam sa mga magulang,” said de Vega in Jonathan Andal’s report on “24 Oras.''

(The reason we cannot yet disclose the identity of the victim is because the parents have not yet been informed.)

“We honor our kababayan's request. One reason some of them died is because they didn’t abandon their wards. This is something Israelis praised our kababayans for,” he added.

The bereaved family will receive financial aid worth P200,000 from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), along with funeral assistance worth P20,000 and educational assistance for the children of the killed OFW. 

The Israeli government will also extend cash assistance. 

Israel is home to at least 30,000 workers from the Philippines, majority working as caregivers and nurses, while 135 Filipinos remain trapped in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

De Vega earlier said around 70 to 80 Filipinos, mostly married to Palestinians, sought government help for evacuation.

He said the continued closure of the vital Rafah border crossing between Israel and Egypt has stalled Philippine efforts to remove the Filipinos from Gaza as Israel warned of possible ground assault against the Hamas.

The repatriation of the remains of Filipinos killed faces delays due to the ongoing war, officials said.

Manila is enforcing security Alert Level 4 for Gaza, which calls for mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in conflict areas.

De Vega earlier said several buses would be waiting at the Egypt side of the Rafah border crossing to transport to the Egyptian capital Cairo the Filipinos evacuees from Gaza.

“We are hoping that corridor will be opened so that foreign nationals would be able to cross as soon as possible,” De Vega said at a press conference Wednesday.

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

“We are ready. Our embassy in Cairo is ready," De Vega said.  —with Sundy Locus/KBK/VBL, GMA Integrated News