Manila, 8 November 2023 (TDI): In a significant development, a group of forty Filipinos successfully departed from Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt. This crucial evacuation was officially confirmed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, November 8.
The evacuees are now en route to Cairo, Egypt, from where they will proceed to make their way back to the Philippines in the coming days. President Marcos conveyed this update through a video message released by the Malacañang, the official residence and workplace of the President of the Philippines.
A noteworthy highlight of this evacuation is the inclusion of a Palestinian individual married to a Filipino, who was part of the first group of evacuees from Gaza. This exemplifies the inclusive nature of the evacuation efforts, where family ties transcend international borders.
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The coordination and execution of this operation have been overseen by the Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, Eduardo de Vega.
As part of the ongoing evacuation efforts, Philippine authorities are in the process of finalizing the number of Filipinos who still wish to be evacuated from Gaza. At present, at least 30 Palestinians married to Filipinos have expressed their desire to leave the strip.
