Philippines orders mandatory evacuation from Gaza

MANILA, Philippines — The evacuation of Filipinos in Gaza is now mandatory, after the Department of Foreign Affairs raised yesterday Alert Level 4 over the area amid ongoing airstrikes and a deepening crisis.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform the public that, due to the current situation in Gaza, we have placed Gaza under Alert Level 4 (Mandatory Repatriation),” the DFA said in a statement.

The Philippine government has accounted for 131 Filipinos in Gaza. At least 78 of them are now situated near the Rafah border crossing near Egypt.

“All the rest have left northern Gaza or Gaza City, which is expected to be the main site for hostilities,” the DFA said. “The Philippine government continues to work on the repatriation of our nationals and will provide updates on developments.”

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said 92 Filipinos in Gaza are asking to be repatriated, with eight Filipinos in the first batch expected to come home on Oct. 16.

De Vega said on Thursday that dozens of Filipinos trapped in the Palestinian enclave have “no way in and no way out.”

“What we mean by ‘mandatory’ is that we are not coming to you and pulling you out, but we are telling you to evacuate; and if you get left behind, we can’t stop you, we cannot prevent it,” De Vega said in Filipino on Sunday in an interview over TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

“It is up to you what happens to you, because Israel will be attacking them (Gaza),” he said.

The Philippine government, he said, would not be able to help Filipinos if the situation worsens. ‘We’re ready, but no one can enter or exit Gaza,” he added.

The militant Hamas’ surprise incursion prompted intense aerial bombardment by Israel, a complete siege of the Gaza Strip, and an order to evacuate the northern part of the enclave within 24 hours, which began on Thursday evening, local time.

Israeli forces hammered Gaza and prepared for a ground invasion after the attack by Hamas that triggered the bloodiest war on the country’s territory for decades.

Israel said more than 1,300 citizens and foreigners had been brutally massacred by Hamas, and that roughly 2,500 terrorists entered the country.

Three Filipinos have been killed in Israel