Israeli soldiers look at the remains of a police station which was the site of a battle following a mass infiltration by Hamas gunmen from Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel on October 8, 2023. (Photo from REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Embassy in Israel is verifying a report of possible first Filipino fatality amid the rising tension in war-torn Israel.
Philippine Consul General and Deputy Chief of Mission Anthony Mandap on Tuesday morning repeatedly clarified the embassy has yet to confirm such report.
“Nangangamba kami na baka magkaroon tayo ng first casualty kung saka-sakali,” Mandap said in an interview over Radyo 630.
(We are afraid that we might have the first casualty, if ever.)
“Sinisiyasat pa namin ‘yung report na pumanaw na ‘yung isa sa anim na natitirang unaccounted for,” he noted.
(We are still investigating the report that one of the six persons who are unaccounted for has died.)
“Sa ngayon ay we are not confirming this and we are not saying na meron na tayong kababayan na namatay,” he clarified.
(Right now, we are not confirming this and we are not saying that we have a fellow Filipino who has died.)
According to Mandap, the report indicates that it was the unaccounted Filipino’s kin that confirmed such death.
He, however, said Philippine embassy in Israel’s labor attaché will check the accuracy of the story.
“Later in the day, we should be able to know if [the unaccounted Filipino] really passed away or we made a mistake,” the consul general said.
“We are crossing our fingers that this is not true. It is not clear to me where [it transpired],” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.
Meanwhile, data from the embassy showed that as of Monday, 22 Filipinos have been rescued by Israeli security forces.
Of the 22 individuals, one is being treated at a hospital for injuries sustained during the rescue.
Another rescued Filipino was treated for smoke inhalation and is now resting in a hotel in Tel Aviv.
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