The planned evacuation of Filipinos from Gaza over the weekend faced a setback as the Rafah border to Egypt remained closed. This decision was made due to security concerns following an Israeli airstrike on an ambulance used for evacuations in northern Gaza, resulting in casualties.
Israel’s military claimed the targeted ambulance was associated with a Hamas terrorist cell, alleging Hamas was using ambulances for militant and weapon transfers. The Rafah crossing to Egypt’s Sinai peninsula is the only exit point from Gaza not controlled by Israel.
Efforts are underway to resume evacuations of injured Gazans and foreign passport holders through the Rafah Crossing, which have been on hold since Saturday. Philippine embassy officials are working to persuade Filipinos hesitant to cross the border due to restrictions on their Palestinian spouses.
Out of 136 Filipinos in Gaza, only 46 expressed interest in evacuating to Egypt through the Rafah border, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Two Filipino doctors, volunteers for Doctors Without Borders, have already crossed.
Since October 7, Israeli strikes on Gaza have led to at least 8,796 Palestinian casualties, including 3,648 children, according to the Gaza Strip’s health ministry. These strikes were in response to a Hamas attack on southern Israel.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 6, 2023
