At least 40 Filipinos were able to exit Gaza through the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, President Marcos announced Wednesday.
In a video message uploaded on his official Facebook page, Marcos thanked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the embassies of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt for the safe passage of the Filipinos from the strife-torn Gaza Strip.
He also recognized Qatar’s efforts to mediate between Israel and Hamas that led to the reopening of the border.
“I am happy to announce that 40 of our countrymen have safely and successfully crossed the Rafah crossing in Egypt. They are now on their way to Cairo and from there they will return to our country in the next few days,” the President said in Filipino.
He expressed optimism that the remaining Filipinos waiting for the signal to exit the Rafah border would be able to cross with their families.
On Tuesday, the DFA said 46 Filipinos were permitted to exit Gaza through the Rafah border.
The 46 are the combined number of the second batch and the first one that was supposed to leave Gaza on Sunday but was delayed due to “attacks by Hamas.”
According to DFA data, 135 Filipinos are still in the Gaza Strip, six of whom have also requested repatriation.
The DFA said the 40 Filipinos evacuated from Gaza are expected to arrive in the Philippines on Friday or Saturday.
Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the DFA expects more Filipinos in Gaza to cross the border.
“There is a good chance that more of them will cross because we now have news that Palestinian spouses are gradually being approved to cross. So that’s good news,” De Vega said.
He urged all Filipinos to take the opportunity once they are given the go-signal to leave the war-torn Gaza Strip.
“Our offices there are appealing for Filipinos to not delay when the next list of those who will get through comes out…. When they say you have to cross tomorrow, cross already because we cannot be sure of the future if the border is open or if you will be given priority. We are given priority by the Israeli government and by the Egyptian government, so let’s take advantage of it,” the DFA official said.
Before the border opening, there were 137 Filipinos who were trapped in Gaza. Two of them, who were members of the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders, were able to leave during the short opening of the border.
The border opening, which was expected to happen over the weekend, had been delayed twice, on Sunday and Monday, due to Israel’s attack on an ambulance in Gaza and Hamas’ attack on Israel.
As of Nov. 8, about 165 Filipinos from countries affected by the Israel-Hamas war either have already been repatriated by the Philippine government or are set to be repatriated.
A total of 102 overseas Filipinos from Israel had already returned to Manila, arriving in batches.
Meanwhile, 21 Filipinos from Lebanon were scheduled to depart Beirut on Tuesday as fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist group intensified.
The Philippine government was also set to repatriate on Wednesday two Filipinos from the West Bank, another Palestinian territory separated from Israel after they already arrived in the neighboring country of Jordan.
Israeli forces have been bombarding Gaza after Hamas terrorists based there launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took some 240 people hostage.