4th Filipino, also a caregiver, confirmed dead from attacks

A fourth Filipino has been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

“I regret to inform the nation that we have received confirmation from the Israeli government of another Filipino casualty in Israel,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on the social media platform X.

“Out of respect for the wishes of the family, we shall be withholding details on the identity of the victim. But we have assured the family of the government’s full support and assistance,” he added.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega identified the fatality as a Filipina caregiver who was killed in the Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

“That’s why we Filipinos are praised there, when Hamas came in, they didn’t abandon their loved ones, because they are caregivers of the elderly. They are really heroes,” De Vega said in a radio interview.

During the surprise attack on Oct. 7, the Palestinian group fired thousands of rockets from Gaza and its gunmen streamed into Israel—shooting, mutilating, or burning to death some 1,400 people.

Authorities earlier announced the deaths of three other Filipinos in that attack.

De Vega said two other Filipinos remained missing as of Thursday.

There are some 30,000 Filipinos in Israel, mostly working as caregivers, officials earlier said.

There are 135 Filipinos in Hamas-run Gaza.

Israel’s military campaign to destroy Hamas, which is holding 199 hostages in the besieged territory, has claimed the lives of 3,478 people, health officials said.

Foreign nationals—including the Filipinos—are trapped in the Palestinian enclave, which has been sealed off by Israel and Egypt.

Meanwhile, the DFA has cautioned Filipinos living in southern Lebanon and northern Israel against the possible escalation of hostilities between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters amid fears that the war in Israel would spread.

“In southern Lebanon, the embassy already informed the 3,000 Filipinos there to evacuate, because of possible retaliation [from Israel] because of attacks of Hezbollah,” De Vega said.

Around 2,700 Filipinos in southern Lebanon and 70 in northern Israel could be affected if the Israeli