Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 26) — Gelienor Jimmy Pacheco, the Filipino hostage released by militant group Hamas, may return to the Philippines before Christmas, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Sunday.
Pacheco, 33, was among the first batch of 24 hostages released by Hamas after it initiated a truce with Israel. The Filipino caregiver went missing on Oct. 7, the day the militants launched a surprise attack on the Middle Eastern nation.
READ: Filipino among hostages freed by Hamas
“We expect that he will be flying home shortly before Christmas at the latest. He is still recovering, of course, he has a lot of emotional trauma,” de Vega said.
\”Chine-check siya sa ospital. Kung ma-clear na siya [He’s being checked at the hospital. If he is cleared] medically and say he wants to go home next week, he can go home,\” he added.
Pacheco and his family were promised lifetime social security benefits and regular stipends from the Israeli government.
