Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 13)— The latest batch of 14 Filipinos with five Palestinian spouses from war-torn Gaza are expected to arrive in the country on Tuesday from Egypt, while 13 other Filipinos crossed the Rafah border on Sunday, officials said.
This brings the total number of Filipinos who have left Gaza to 111, and those who have returned to the country to 77, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said.
A Filipino nun remains in Gaza City, while 25 other Filipinos are scattered in the Deir Al Bahla, Khan Younis and Rafah governorates in Southern Gaza, according to Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos.
\”We were able to extract 111 of 137 Filipinos or 81.02% under the most difficult conditions from Gaza,\” added De Vega, who is now in Egypt’s capital Cairo.
Among the 14 Filipinos arriving on Tuesday are at least three children plus one newborn infant, de Vega said.
The 13 others who crossed the border in Rafah on Sunday are on their way to Cairo along with six Palestinian spouses. Their flight details to Manila are being arranged, he added.
De Vega said the 13 include two Filipinos — a father and a daughter accompanied by the Palestinian wife — who were able to flee Gaza City under the protection of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
On Sunday, the second batch of repatriates consisting of 41 Filipinos and seven Palestinian spouses, arrived in Manila.
The first group of 34 Pinoys and one Palestinian spouse arrived on Saturday.
On Nov. 2, two Filipinos working for humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders were also able to cross from Gaza to Egypt. De Vega said the two have also returned to the country.
