The Department of Migrant Workers reported that the number of unaccounted Filipinos in the ongoing Insraeli-Palestinian went from 10 to five.

DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac said in an interview that the effort of the agency continues to ensure the welfare of the Filipino community in Israel.

"The search continues— day to day— since Saturday. We count down those numbers. It used to be around 15 or 16 in the beginning (unaccounted Filipinos), and now it's down to five. The effort continues, and it's possible that they are in safe rooms or in houses where possibly they have transferred or decided to move to places where their fellow Filipinos might be or where they feel they would be safer," speculated Cacdac.

Cacdac stated that around 281 Filipinos are safe, while four have sought assistance.

"We put up a Google survey, [for] those in the affected areas most especially, and 281 have said that they are safe. When I say 'affected' area, I mean to say the southern part that is near the Gaza strip border. Four have sought for assistance from the survey respondents…so we are currently assisting them on the ground as we speak," he said.

He added that communication is one of the challenges facing the Filipino community in Israel.

"Of course, communication poses a challenge," Cacdac said. "Many have either shut down their cellphones or find it difficult to contact their family back home so we're hoping that we'll eventually locate them."

Despite the challenge, the DMW is in coordination with the Filipino community leaders to ensure the safety of the Filipinos.

"We have a network with Filipino community leaders who are known to most Filipino Community members, and we are confident that they can be found whether they are documented or undocumented. Safer ground essentially means finding the right Filipino homes and communities, and indeed when we find some of those who were unaccounted for last Saturday, we find out how they are because they send pictures— group pictures of Filipinos with whom they are associated, or stayed with. So, we are, of course, glad to see that the Filipino community also helps those who are unaccounted for, so we eventually locate them."