Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Thursday his country is ready to admit more Filipino volunteers and tourists amid their efforts to stop the Hamas terror group.

In an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show Usapang OFW, Fluss said there are currently 11 Filipino volunteers in Israel.

“We are [still] working with the next batches. So for the meantime, it’s small, but there’s this whole community supporting this initiative. So we hope it continues. We hope this calls out for more people to volunteer,” Fluss said.

The envoy said the volunteers can stay in Israel for three months. They will be given tourist visas, according to Fluss, noting that an extension would be possible upon request.

“On the grounds that they [Filipinos] are very happy. The Israelis are very happy having them there,” he continued. “It’s very expensive to travel there. But it sends a message of solidarity, of friendship,” he added.

Fluss assured Filipinos that they can “safely” visit Israel.

Yom HaZikaron

“There’s still trauma, but on the other hand, there’s an effort that daily lives should continue and you are between two extremes all the time. So, it’s really a strange reality today, but it’s important to say that Filipinos can visit Israel,” Fluss said.

“Airports in the entire time closed only once. Sea ports, now open, [even] buses. So it’s okay to visit Israel. Filipinos do not need visas,” he added.

In June 2023, Israel saw a record-breaking number of Filipino tourists, according to the Israel Ministry of Tourism. There was a 40-percent increase in Filipino visitors in Israel or a total of 19,300 tourists from January to June 2023. A total of 34,000 Filipinos visited the Holy Land in 2023.

The Israeli Embassy in Manila held on 13 May a ceremony to commemorate Yom HaZikaron — Israel’s Memorial Day for the fallen soldiers and civilians not only of its present conflict with Hamas, but those from past wars since its founding on 14 May 1948.

“We also gave recognition to the Filipinos who were victim of the 7 October 2023 terror attack by Hamas,” Fluss said.

The ceremony remembered Filipino caregivers Angelyn Aguirre, Loreta Alacre, Grace Cabrera and Paul Vincent Castelvi.

The embassy also honored the late Sgt. Cydrick Garin, a Filipino-Israeli who served in the Israeli Defense Force and was killed in action early this year.

On 7 October 2023, Hamas attacked southern Israel, marking the beginning of Israel’s ongoing relentless war in Gaza.

The war is believed to have killed over 35,000 people and injured more than 70,000, with some 10,000 missing and presumed dead under the rubble of the destroyed Gaza Strip.