Filipino freed by Hamas suffering from trauma, coming home for Christmas: DFA

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<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=2884722" 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><p>MANILA — A Filipino hostage released by Hamas is suffering from trauma and will reunite with his family in the Philippines this Christmas, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. </p><p>The freed captive, Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco, is getting help from authorities in recovering his lost personal documents, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said. </p><p>&quot;Inaayos niya yung kaniyang benefits from the Israeli authorities, saka inaasahan niyang makakuha siya ng bagong employment dahil yung amo niya pinatay. Disyembre, babakasyon yun dito para sa Pasko, para makita, makapiling niya yung pamilya niya,&quot; De Vega told TeleRadyo Serbisyo. </p><p>&quot;Natu-trauma siya dahil siyempre sa experience niya… Hindi siya physically sinaktan, pero tingnan mo, pumayat siya. Ang sabi niya, wala siyang sugat or anything. Ang naalala lang niya, noong sumalakay noong October 7, binaril yung amo niya. Pati siya, parang nadaplisan ng shrapnel or what.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/11/26/23/freed-filipino-hostage-to-receive-lifetime-benefits-stipends-from-israel">Freed Filipino hostage to receive lifetime benefits, stipends from Israel</a></li></ul><div style="max-width:56vh"><div style="left:0;width:100%;height:0;position:relative;padding-bottom:177.7778%"><iframe allow="encrypted-media;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GWUeJWVD0g0" style="top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;border:0"></iframe></div></div><p>Pacheco, a caregiver, has been released from the hospital where he was brought after he was free by Hamas, a video from Israel&#x27;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed. </p><p>Israeli authorities requested that Pacheco refrain from detailing his ordeal in public, as this information could be crucial in rescuing other hostages, De Vega said. </p><div style="max-width:56vh"><div style="left:0;width:100%;height:0;position:relative;padding-bottom:177.7778%"><iframe allow="encrypted-media;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/srzVpyUA9tk" style="top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;border:0"></iframe></div></div><p>Hamas released a third group of hostages including a four-year-old American girl on Sunday, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners under a four-day truce that started Friday. </p><p>Those released were among around 240 people captured on October 7 when Hamas fighters broke through Gaza&#x27;s militarized border with Israel in the country&#x27;s deadliest attack.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/overseas/11/27/23/more-captives-prisoners-freed-as-gaza-truce-extension-mooted">More captives, prisoners freed as Gaza truce extension mooted</a></li></ul><p>The militants killed about 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, according to Israeli authorities.</p><p>In response, Israel launched a military campaign to destroy Hamas, killing nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians and including thousands of children, according to Gaza&#x27;s Hamas government.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QLWQieoWIQo?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></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><div><strong>LAST MISSING FILIPINO </strong></div><p>Authorities cannot confirm if a missing Filipino is among the hostages still held by Hamas, De Vega said. </p><p>&quot;Hinihingi natin ang conformation at saka kung hostage man, ipalaya na rin siya. Sa harap nitong lack of information, itinuturing na rin natin na hostage siya,&quot; the official said. </p><p>&quot;Kasi kung hindi siya hostage, e di patay ‘yan, namatay siya, isa siya sa mga hindi pa ma-identify na bangkay sa Israel. Sana hindi ganoon… We’re all working on this. Nagko-cooperate naman yung ating mga kaibigan dito,&quot; he continued. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jY2N7-vQNpM?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></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><p>Twenty-six Filipinos remain in Gaza and 17 of them are expected to leave the Hamas-run enclave when the Rafah border reopens on Tuesday, De Vega said.     </p><p>&quot;For the past several days, ang lumulusot lang itong mga hostage saka exchange of prisoners. Bukas, open ulit sa foreigners na tatawid,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Ang problema lang, hindi sila sigurado sa mga mister nila, kung makakalusot. Pero dati, nakalusot yung iba,&quot; he added. </p><p>If the latest batch succeeds in crossing into Egypt on Tuesday, this will bring the total number of Filipinos who left Gaza up to 128, the official noted. </p><p>Nine Filipinos have refused to leave the territory. One of them is a nun, while the rest are members of the same family, according to De Vega. </p><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse </strong></div>

A Filipino hostage released by Hamas is suffering from trauma and will reunite with his family in the Philippines this Christmas, the DFA said. 

Filipino freed by Hamas suffering from trauma, coming home for Christmas: DFA | ABS-CBN

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Filipino freed by Hamas suffering from trauma, coming home for Christmas: DFA

Filipino freed by Hamas suffering from trauma, coming home for Christmas: DFA

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 27, 2023 11:11 AM PHT

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Updated Nov 27, 2023 02:48 PM PHT

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Filipino hostage

Gelienor Jimmy Pacheco

DFA

Israel

Hamas

Palestine

Gaza

war

conflict

Philippines

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