An Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who has been working as a caregiver in Jerusalem has recounted his first-time experiences amid the current Israel-Hamas war.

In an interview with DZRH on Monday, Oct. 9, Raymart Israel recounted that he heard a barrage of rockets outside of his workplace for the first time.

“Yung Sabado talaga kasi nago-open ako ng applications for tracking na missile rockets. ‘Pag tumunog yung cellphone ko, nagno-notify tapos tumutunog na rin yung siren. Ilang ulit kaya yun tapos malapit lang po dito kasi pagbagsak ng rockets yanig yung lupa tsaka building,” Israel recalled.

The OFW’s narrative happened as the militant group Hamas launched rockets from the coastal enclave of Gaza into Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7, accounting to hundreds of deaths according to the live updates of CNN.

But despite being far from the center of conflict, Israel said he could not afford to be complacent.

Israel said he has been alert since the event occurred, citing lack of sleep as dread creeps in with the possibility of unexpected blaring sirens waking him up midsleep.

“Malayong-malayo po siya pero yung kinakatakot po kasi maraming terorista yung nakapasok na so hindi pa rin papakampante [...] Ang kinakatakutan dito yung rockets din talaga kasi last time nung Sabado dito yung tinitira nila, yung Jerusalem,” he said.

The OFW added his worries regarding the absence of bomb shelter in his workplace.

“Itong trabaho ko parang nursing home ng Pinas. Tapos sa baba wala kaming bomb shelter talaga hindi katulad ng iba na may designated bomb shelter sila. So, kapag tumunog na yung siren tatakbo lang kami sa hagdanan or pupunta kami sa baba pero it doesn’t make sense kasi parang di pa rin safe,” Israel said.

He noted that he and other Filipino workers in Israel have talked to the embassy through Zoom.

“Kahapon nakausap po namin yung embassy through Zoom. Nabanggit po yung repatriation [pero] wala pa naman po kasi hindi pa ganun kalala yung sitwasyon,” Israel said.