Israel foreign minister visits freed Pinoy hostage

MANILA, Philippines — The Filipino hostage freed from Hamas captivity last week was released from a hospital in Israel, the Israeli embassy in Manila said yesterday.

On his first day of freedom from Hamas captivity, caregiver Gelienor Pacheco was visited by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen at the Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center where he was recovering after 49 days of being held hostage in Gaza.

“Jimmy Pacheco is released from hospital. He is sent off with love,” the embassy said.

The embassy also released an Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs video of the send-off by authorities and staff of the Shamir Medical Center as he walked out of the hospital on Nov. 26.

Cohen said it is a “happy day for Israel and the Philippines.”

He added that Israel “exerted all effort and we are here for you.”

The foreign minister emphasized that foreign citizens will receive dedicated care from Israel and will be entitled to all of their rights from Israel’s National Insurance.

The Israeli government will provide Pacheco and his immediate family lifetime social security benefits and regular stipends similar to those given to Israelis who are victims of terrorist attacks.

“Israeli citizens and foreign citizens shared the same fate in the face of a cruel enemy on that dark Sabbath,” Cohen said.

“We are working with all of the parties to free all of the citizens from the hands of the Hamas terror organization, which still holds women, children and the elderly, as well as other foreign citizens,” he added.

For his part, Ambassador Pedro Laylo conveyed the Philippines’ gratitude to Israel for facilitating the release of the hostages, including Pacheco.