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More Filipinos in Gaza to cross into Egypt by Sunday: DFA

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Residents evacuate from Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, in Gaza on Thursday. Mohammed Saber, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/overseas/11/03/20231102-gaza-refugees-epa.jpg"/><figcaption>Residents evacuate from Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, in Gaza on Thursday. Mohammed Saber, EPA-EFE</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE) — Filipinos in Gaza have been allowed to cross the border to Egypt by Sunday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/03/23/marcos-more-pinoys-to-exit-gaza-by-saturday-at-the-latest">Marcos: More Filipinos to leave Gaza by &#x27;Saturday at the latest&#x27;</a></li></ul>Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said 134 Filipinos have been approved to leave Hamas-run Gaza and would be able to leave the area in batches. &quot;Naalala niyo sinabi ng Pangulo na bibigyan ng Israel ng permit ang ating mga Pilipino — 134 na lang — by Saturday. Kumpirmado, na-receive natin yung approval ng 134 na lang na natitira para makalabas,&quot; De Vega said on Teleradyo Serbisyo. (It has been confirmed. We received the approval for the 143 remaining Filipinos to leave.)&quot;Mag-uumpisa sila makalabas bukas, pero hindi sila sabay-sabay,&quot; he added. (They will start to leave tomorrow, but not at the same time.)<div>Only 43 willing to leave Gaza</div>The problem, however, is that their Palestinian spouses were not allowed to leave Gaza with them. Only 43 Filipinos expressed their willingness to leave because of this issue, he said. &quot;Hindi sila aalis kung wala ang pamilya nila. Ang problema, wala tayong paraan, well, makikiusap tayo sa Israel at sa Egypt,&quot; he said. (They will not leave their family behind.)&quot;Pero na sa kanila yun eh, yung authorization na kasama ang Palestinians so nanawagan ang ating ambassador, kinakausap sila na puwede naman silang bumalik ng Gaza kapag tapos na. So malalalaman natin kung ilan ang tatawid,&quot; he added. (Our ambassador is hoping they can leave with their Palestinian relatives and that they will return to Gaza when the situation is over. So, we will find out how many will leave.)&quot;Kapag nagme-message sila sa amin: inhumane daw kung hindi kasama ang spouse... &#x27;Yung security issues hindi kami nag-decide niyan.&quot;(They tell us that it is inhumane to leave their spouse, but that is not our decision.)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/11/01/23/first-foreigners-leave-gaza-through-rafah-filipinos-told-to-prepare">First foreigners leave Gaza through Rafah crossing; Filipinos told to prepare</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/03/23/9-filipinos-safe-as-israeli-army-surrounds-gaza-city-ph-envoy">9 Filipinos &#x27;safe&#x27; as Israeli army surrounds Gaza City: PH envoy to Jordan</a></li></ul>In a Saturday news briefing, De Vega said 20 Filipinos were already confirmed to be in first batch of repatriates who will exit Gaza tomorrow, Sunday.A second batch of 23 has signed up and will leave in the next few days.“We would like it to reach 30 because we have slot for 30, and if we don’t fill it up it will be given to other nationals,&quot; he said. It was so far unclear when the two batches will arrive in the Philippines, he said. Only 500 to 600 foreign nationals are allowed to enter Egypt per day. There are almost 8,000 foreigners who want to cross the Rafah border crossing.Meanwhile, 23 Filipinos from Israel are expected to come home on Monday, with 27 more on Tuesday.<div>Filipinos only passing through</div>Filipinos who will enter Egypt only have 3 days to stay, as they were only given temporary visas. &quot;Once they reach Egypt, they will be processed, they will be picked up by our embassy in Cairo, they are ready to bring them to Cairo. And between 72 hours they will be required to leave because it is only a transit visa that they are getting,” De Vega said in a separate forum. De Vega vowed the government would shoulder their accommodation and transport expenses during the time. The situation in Gaza is not ideal since water and food are scarce. “They have to line up for food, for water, for supplies,” he said. “It’s difficult, of course, so we are all the more telling them to leave Gaza and come home even without your spouses. We’re telling them ‘Please go home, you can always come back to Gaza when the situation clears,&#x27;&quot; he said. Egypt this week announced that the most badly wounded, foreigners, and dual nationals could flee Gaza, which has suffered weeks of relentless bombardment by Israel.Two Filipino health workers working with Doctors Without Borders have left Gaza through the Rafah crossing, which was opened on Wednesday for the first time since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday said the Israeli government has promised to allow Filipinos to leave Gaza either by today or tomorrow, Saturday. At least 4 Filipinos have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, officials said.<div>— with a report from Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2863658" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The problem, however, is that their Palestinian spouses were not allowed to leave Gaza with them.

More Filipinos in Gaza to cross into Egypt by Sunday: DFA

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More Filipinos in Gaza to cross into Egypt by Sunday: DFA

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 04, 2023 10:28 AM PHT

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Updated November 04, 2023 04:25 PM PHT

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Israel

Hamas

Rafah crossing

DFA

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