Overseas Filipino workers currently in Israel would be protected from the havoc brought by the terrorist group Hamas, Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Sunday.

In a virtual briefing, Fluss assured that the Israeli government would not leave Filipinos behind in protecting its own citizens as it retaliates against the Palestinian militants from their surprise attack that killed more than 350 Israelis.

"Let me say and stress [that] we have close to 30,000 Filipino OFWs in Israel. We treat them like we treat any other Israeli nationals, and we try to protect them as well as we try to protect our Israeli citizens," he said.

Most OFWs work in the caregiving, hospitality, engineering, and healthcare industries.

The Israeli ambassador said their government has no information yet on the Filipinos allegedly being taken by Hamas as hostages.

"I've seen the reports regarding the OFWs being kidnapped… We know that there were some foreign nationals who were also killed and probably some who have been kidnapped," he said.

"We don't have any verification of information regarding Filipino nationals as of this time," he added.

On Sunday morning, the Philippine Embassy in Israel announced its closure due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestine conflict.

"The public is advised that the Philippine Embassy will be closed beginning Sunday, 8 October 2023, and until further notice, due to the current security situation," the statement read.

Filipinos may contact the Embassy's emergency number through their hotline: +972-54-4661188.

"The Hamas, a terror organization supported by Iran, wants to destroy Israel and murder as many Israelis as possible. They actually declared war against Israel," Fluss said in an earlier statement.

"Israel will respond in the most harsh way (to) protect itself, release the kidnapped civilians and soldiers, and destroy terror infrastructure," Fluss added.

Gaza, from where Hamas initiated its attacks, is a Palestinian territory that has been heavily armed and subjected to blockades by both Israel and Egypt.

The 17-year-long conflict in Gaza is a component of a broader and longstanding dispute between Israel and Palestine.

In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE, DFA Assistant Secretary Paul Cortes said the embassy does not see yet the need to evacuate all Filipinos in Israel.

"So far, although the contingency plan is in place, the Embassy still does not see the need to evacuate all Filipinos there," he said.

Sheltered

In a separate interview, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Eduardo de Vega said there were no reports of injured and killed Filipinos in Israel.

"There are no reported casualties yet," De Vega said in a radio interview., adding that there are only a few overseas Filipino workers in Gaza, the epicenter of the Israeli-Hamas conflict.

As for the reported abductions of Filipinos by Hamas in Israel, both Cortes and De Vega said that the Philippine Embassy in Israel has yet to verify it.

"For now, our embassy says that it is an unverified report," Cortes said. He, however, noted that the 300 agricultural workers deployed in Israel are "all accounted for."

"They have already gotten in touch with all of the Agro students stationed there. All are accounted for, and all are safe," he said.

The Department of Migrant Workers on Sunday said some Filipinos in Israel have chosen to stay in shelters while others have evacuated.

"There are shelters where there are safe. Some have been evacuated in some places, but they are often safe in their shelters as we continue to account for our OFWs on the ground in southern Israel. There are no Filipinos reported killed or injured," DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to identify and verify the whereabouts of all Filipinos currently residing in Israel.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez both condemned the attack by Hamas.

"We strongly condemn the violence committed by terrorists against innocent civilians in the ongoing conflict in Israel," Zubiri said in a statement. "We deplore the taking of hostages and seek their immediate release. Neither freedom nor justice can truly be won through this kind of violence."

Romualdez rued the "devastation and loss suffered by families," adding they are a "reminder that the path of violence only deepens wounds and rifts."

With Gilmore Leaño
and Edjen Oliquino