MANILA, Philippines—“Bombs were exploding everywhere everyday ... It was frightening ... There was nowhere to hide.”

That was how some of 16 Filipino evacuees described the situation in war-torn Gaza as they fled to safety to avoid Israeli bombardment.

Enduring a more than 20-hour gruelling journey by land and air, they arrived in Manila from Bangkok Friday night. Escorted by the International Red Cross, they had escaped through Jordan, from where they took a plane for Thailand for a stopover.

All in all, three families arrived: 13 of the 16 were children, their ages ranged from 2 to 21.

A 17th Filipino who also left is now “in the care of the Latin patriarch in Jerusalem,” Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Claro Cristobal said.

“It was really chaotic and scary. We were living near the schools. There were a lot of bomb explosions everywhere,” Nenita Gozun-Hammondeh, a native of Pampanga, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Extent of destruction

Nenita, married to a Palestinian, fled Gaza with her four children.

“You don’t know what the Israelis are targeting. They just keep on targeting. You’re lucky if your house is not the one bombed,” she said.

She said that they could see on TV that many people had died in the bombing near the schools.

Another Filipino married to a Palestinian, Anabel Mangulabnan Abu Hassira, said they were relieved and happy that they were no longer in Gaza.

“Anywhere. Everyday. There were a lot of bombings,” said Anabel of Bustos, Bulacan, who escaped with her four children.

She said they could see the extent of the destruction along the road as they fled.

Laila Chavez C. Salama of Daet, Camarines Norte, said they were scared. “It’s for the safety of the children,” said Salama, also married to a Palestinian.

“The bombs were too powerful. It’s really war,” she said.

Salama said she saw houses near her area reduced to rubbles by the bombs. Five of her children went with her to Manila but one daughter chose to remain in Gaza.

“It was a very hard decision to make. I left my sick husband with my other daughter,” said Salama as tears streamed from her eyes. “Either I save five lives or I save my husband and other daughter.”

Very angry

Rasha, Salama’s daughter and a high school student in Gaza, said she was glad she was now safe but that she was “very much angry” at the Israelis for bombing Gaza.

Her brother, Rashad, an accounting student, said: “Until now they are bombing even the mosques.”

“Our happiness is not complete,” said Rashad, 21. “It’s good that we’re here… more safe [here] but my father and my sister are still there.”

He said the usually populated streets of Gaza were empty by 6 in the evening.

Cimatu with them

Abu Hassira left her husband in Gaza “because we prioritized the safety of our children.”

“My husband said he might have a hard time finding work here that’s why he decided to stay behind,” she said, carrying her youngest daughter Dana. “I’m happy that my children and I are here safe.”

The 16 evacuees were accompanied by special envoy to the Middle East Roy Cimatu.

The feeling of relief seemed evident from the children as they smiled at the cameras, giggling at each other as they talked in Arabic, after they landed at the airport. Relatives of the different families said the children could not speak Filipino but understood English.

The evacuees left Gaza on a convoy escorted by the International Red Cross at 10 a.m. Thursday together with other foreign nationals.

Fetched by RP Embassy staff

The Filipinos were fetched at the Israeli-Gaza border by the staff of the Philippine Embassy in Israel and taken by bus to Amman, Jordan where they took a flight to Manila via Bangkok.

There were a total of 108 Filipinos in Gaza before hostilities broke out between Israel and Hamas militants.

Cimatu said that Filipinos based in Israel were helping supply food to the Filipinos in Gaza through the Philippine Embassy.

Cimatu said about 92 Filipinos were still in Gaza. Many are residing in areas which have not been guaranteed to be safe and from where it would be too dangerous to travel. Others live near the borders and did not want to leave their families behind, he said.

Cimatu said the government was preparing for another evacuation operation for the remaining Filipinos in Gaza, but that there might be positive developments in the next few days.

Repatriation to continue

Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. said repatriation efforts of the government would continue “given another opening.”

He said that of the Filipinos still in Gaza, 69 wanted to go back to the Philippines.

“The others decided to stay with their husbands there,” he said. “We could not evacuate the others because of the intense fighting.” With a report from Christine O. Avendano