DAZED AND RELIEVED Filipinos who took part in an agriculture internship program in Ashkelon, an Israeli city north of Gaza that was one of several targets of rocket attacks by Hamas, arrive in Manila on Tuesday, having paid for their own plane fare from their allowances. (Photo from LUISSE RUTA/CONTRIBUTOR)
MANILA, Philippines — Department of Foreign (DFA) on Tuesday announced Palestinian spouses of Filipinos in Gaza will be allowed to cross the border into Egypt.
DFA is just waiting for a written approval from Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel.
The department earlier said 39 Filipinos are certain to cross the border on Tuesday.
Seven more are having second thoughts about leaving Gaza.
“We are just waiting for the confirmation in writing, but the Palestinian spouses of the Filipinos will also be allowed to leave Gaza,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said in a press briefing.
“It is just a matter of waiting for the written approval,” De Vega reported.
“And that will mean, it will be easier for our embassy to convince those left to cross the border when the time comes or when they are already called to cross,” he explained.
According to De Vega, among the Filipinos left in Gaza are considered Palestinians too since they are dual citizens.
They were given permission to leave in batches last Friday.
DFA recalled 115 Filipinos initially wanted to cross the border.
The number went down to 46 because many Filipinos did not want to leave their Palestinian spouses in Gaza.
“Now, we would like to think that now, they will confirm, once we get the approval,” De Vega said.
“We don’t have it yet in writing, but there’s a statement that has been made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, verbally, to our embassy that the Palestinian spouses of our nationals will be allowed [to cross the border],” the undersecretary noted.
“We provided a separate list, including the Palestinian spouses, and they supposedly approved them. They said it’s approved, but we’re waiting for their written approval,” he reiterated.