The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) remains 'hopeful' that the Rafah border crossing near Egypt would be open soon to serve as safe exit for foreign nationals, including Filipinos, amid the raging Israel-Hamas fiasco.
In a statement on Monday, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said that the Rafah border crossing is crucial in the efforts of evacuating Filipinos in Gaza.
"DFA is hopeful for a diplomatic solution to be reached soonest in order for the Rafah crossing to start receiving foreign nationals, so that our kababayans [countrymen] in Gaza will be allowed to cross into Egypt," the statement read.
"From there, our teams will work on their repatriation to the Philippines," it added.
The DFA earlier declared Alert Level 4 in the Gaza Strip and advised Filipino nationals in the area to leave immediately.
In a media forum on Sunday, De Vega confirmed that there are still 131 Filipinos in Gaza, adding that there is “no way in our out” of Gaza but he is hopeful that they can leave the area through the border with Egypt.
Of the 131, De Vega earlier said that three Filipinos are tourists while the rest are spouses of Palestinian nationals with their children.
Aside from Gaza, seventeen Filipinos in Israel are expected to return home on October 18.
Based on the reports from REUTERS, the checkpoint between Egypt and Rafah is the only route out of Gaza that is not under Israeli control. Egypt officially says its side is open, but traffic has been halted for days because of Israeli strikes. Egyptian security sources said the Egyptian side is being reinforced, and Cairo has no intention of accepting a mass influx of refugees.
