Gaza escape: Two Filipino doctors exit via Rafah border crossing, DFA confirms

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino doctors Darwin dela Cruz and Regidor Esguerra have successfully exited the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Thursday.

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, in a text message to INQUIRER.net, said dela Cruz and Esguerra departed Gaza and crossed the Egypt border on Wednesday.

To recall, the Filipino doctors working with Doctors without Borders are among the selected foreign nationals allowed to exit the war-torn Gaza Strip and cross to Egypt.

In a radio interview, de Vega explained that dela Cruz and Esguerra will not return to the Philippines as they are set to continue their mission.

De Vega, however, noted that the doctors are safe and communicating with their families in the Philippines.

“That’s the goal of Doctors without Borders, these are selfless doctors. That’s an organization whose doctors are assigned to different crisis areas,” said de Vega over Radyo 630.

According to de Vega, there are still 134 Filipinos in Gaza. All of them are accounted for and in contact with the Philippine embassy in Amman, but only 115 have signified their intentions to be repatriated.

When asked when they may be allowed to exit the border, de Vega said: “Hopefully in the next few days or less.”

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