An overseas Filipino worker shared that the hotel he works for in Israel let refugees stay amid the attack of the militant group, Hamas.

Arsenio Garcia, 41, a resident of Pampanga in the Philippines, had only been working for 7 months in a hotel in the Dead Sea when they got information that one of the targets of Hamas.

"Although we were not hit by the rockets, we received news that our area was targeted by the militant group Hamas because that is where the refugees were brought. The refugees stayed in our hotel," Arsenio said.

When asked if he plans to go back to Israel if situations go back to normal, he is still uncertain and may consider settling in the Philippines for good.

"I have no plans of returning to Israel anymore. I might just settle here in the Philippines. If there is an opportunity for me to work in another country, I will give it a try. But for now, I will be staying here in the Philippines and finding a job to feed my family," he said.

Aresenio is among the 42 OFW repatriates who arrived today, at 3:10 p.m. via Etihad Airways EY424 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, part of the ninth batch of repatriates from Israel.

The Department of Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed on their last count that the ninth batch consisted of 30 hotel workers and 12 caregivers, including five children, with a total of 299 repatriates from Israel brought back to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega announced that there will be five Filipinos from Gaza who will be arriving later.

The repatriates were received by OIC Hans Leo Cacdac, DFA Usec Eduardo de Vega, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Deputy Administrator Mary Melanie Quino, TESDA District Director Cariza Dacuma, and the team of Department of Social Welfare and Development.