FOURTEEN more Filipinos, along with their two Palestinian relatives, exited Gaza Strip and are now in a safer zone in Cairo, Egypt, the Philippine Embassy in Egypt said.
In a statement on Sunday, February 18, 2024, the Philippine Embassy in Egypt said the 14 Filipinos crossed the Rafah border on February 17.
They are expected to arrive in Manila on February 21.
As of February 18, a total of 136 out of 137 Filipinos have been evacuated from the war-torn Gaza City through the efforts of the government.
The remaining Filipino in Gaza is a 63-year-old Catholic nun from the Missionaries of Charity who opted to stay to assist those seeking refuge in their church.
The conflict in Gaza City was sparked by the attack on Israel by the Hamas Group on Oct. 7 that killed an estimated 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and had militants taking some 250 people to Gaza as hostages.
The four-month conflict has so far claimed the lives of thousands of people, including children, and at least four Filipinos.
Two Filipinos who were held hostage by the Hamas militants were released in November and have since returned to the country. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)