Growing humanitarian crisis

From 9,025 kilometers away to the Gaza Strip, where 131 Filipinos have been accounted for by the Philippine government, we watch developments with bated breath, hoping our countrymen would be able to cross soon enough the Rafah crossing.

The crossing was a vital artery before the fighting and now a key route for desperately needed supplies into the Israeli-besieged Palestinian enclave.

While it had not been officially closed it was made inoperable due to Israeli air strikes on the Gaza side.

The crossing is the only border Gaza has which is not directly administered by Israel and is vital to the survival of Gazans. Since 2007, Israel has imposed a blockade – over land, sea and air – and an embargo on the Gaza Strip.

Last week, the Israeli military ordered a blockade of Gaza and cut off the supply of water, food and fuel before launching a wave of air strikes in retaliation to Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel during which militants raided communities, kidnapped civilians and soldiers and killed more than 1,400 people.

The ragged border crossing, which could become Gaza’s lifeline, is a modest, isolated outpost at the southern end of the Gaza Strip.

Yet it could be a critical lifeline as Gazans face a growing humanitarian crisis.

Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said not all Filipinos who fled Gaza City want to come home to the Philippines, with some saying they will look for somewhere else to stay in Gaza.

De Vega added of the 131 Filipinos in Gaza, only around half are from the Philippines. The rest are their children with their Palestinian spouses.

There are 78 at the border with Egypt, another 30 in another part of southern Gaza, the 12 more also in Gaza.

We understand from Philippine officials there is not much danger in south Gaza as compared to the situation in the north.

But the Filipinos at the border are waiting for the international go-ahead to cross into Egypt where they will be met by Philippine government officials who will process their repatriation papers.

One snag is some Filipinos are hesitant to leave because there is no guarantee Israel or Egypt will allow their Palestinian spouses to cross the security border.

Figures at this point suggest