A call to end conflict

While the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas seems to be a world away, Filipinos cannot afford to ignore it as many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the battle-scarred land have been caught up in the escalating violence.

To date, four Filipinos—all caregivers working in Israel—are among the dead in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that spurred Israel’s retaliation with bombardments and a siege on the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip. Thousands have died on both sides of the conflict, with trapped Palestinians reeling from Israel’s cut-off of food, water, and medical supplies, and humanitarian aid just trickling in two weeks into the crisis.

Amid the din of war, the heroism of a Filipino caregiver shines through, underscoring the tragic fate of OFWs forced to leave the relative safety of the homeland in search of a better life in foreign shores.

Angelyn Peralta Aguirre, 33, from Pangasinan, died with her elderly ward when Hamas militants fired through the door of the bomb shelter where they had sought refuge. In a frantic message she had sent to her family, Aguirre said: “They are already here. I am afraid.” In a post, Jerusalem’s deputy mayor, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum noted: “Despite having a chance to flee the Hamas terror attacks, Angelyn showed unbelievable humanity and loyalty by remaining by Nira’s side during the violence, resulting in both of them being brutally murdered by Hamas. Unimaginable honor in the face of evil.”

Another caregiver, Paul Vincent Castelvi, 42, from Pampanga, was among those abducted and killed during the Hamas assault, while Loreta Villarin Alacre, 49, was killed along with several others after being reportedly waylaid by the militants.

Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that a fourth OFW, a female caregiver whose identity had not been disclosed, also died in the initial assault. Government reports said two Filipinos remain unaccounted for in Israel, where some 30,000 OFWs are working, mostly as caregivers. As Israel prepares to launch a ground invasion of the Gaza strip—the densely populated area under occupation by Israel but ruled by the Islamist Hamas—the Philippine government has ordered the mandatory evacuation of the 131 Filipinos living there. But dozens, most of them married to Palestinians, have reportedly opted to stay.

At least 78 Filipinos in Gaza are among those massed up in the southern Rafah crossing near the Egyptian border, waiting to be allowed to leave the war zone.

In an interview with this paper, Egyptian Ambassador to Manila Ahmed Shehabeldin said he had asked his government to “prioritize Filipinos” in the border crossing. At the same time, he has echoed the dilemma the Philippine government is grappling with: “But Israel is bombing the crossing from the Palestinian part inside Gaza, and so how can you evacuate people?”

This predicament should prompt the Philippine government to vigorously exert all its diplomatic resources to bring the Filipinos out of harm’s way, including thousands of OFWs who had also been asked to leave neighboring Lebanon.

With two American hostages released by Hamas following United States President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel last Wednesday, President Marcos should similarly invoke the country’s long-standing alliance with both Israel and the US to immediately secure the safety of Filipinos trapped in the conflict zone.

In a meeting with Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss in Malacañang shortly after the Hamas assault, Mr. Marcos has “assured Ambassador Fluss that the Philippines will always stand with Israel in this war against the inhuman terrorist attacks by Hamas.” But the unequivocal stand was recently qualified, amid the growing international condemnation of the violence that has killed thousands of Israeli and Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire. The ensuing humanitarian crisis has put Israel’s tit-for-tat response under question, and has highlighted the roots of the longstanding conflict that has Palestinians fighting for their right to self-determination and their own homeland.

In a press briefing, Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega clarified Mr. Marcos’ statement: “The President has indicated that the Philippines sides with Israel and [that] we recognize the right of self-defense. [B]ut no country is telling any other country to kill civilians, to violate humanitarian law. That’s not what we meant,” he said. “So any killing of civilians is condemned,’’ De Vega added.

With its proud humanitarian record of having an open door policy for refugees, including thousands of Jews fleeing the Holocaust, the Philippines should stand with the international community in calling for a halt to the killing of innocent civilians, many of them children. We must amplify this call, not only because of what our country did for the Jews and other refugees of world wars but also because our own citizens have become collateral casualties in a war not of our choosing. Four Filipinos have needlessly died in the Israel-Hamas conflict; let there be no more.