Gaza under Alert Level 3 —DFA

The Philippines has placed Gaza under Alert Level 3 amid the ongoing reprisal strikes by Israel, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Thursday.

Alert Level 3 means voluntary repatriation.

There are 137 Filipinos in Gaza, De Vega told GMA Integrated News.

Alert Level 2, meanwhile, is raised over Israel, which is home to at least 30,000 Filipino workers, most of them caregivers,

The DFA said that Alert Level 2 entails restriction of non-essential movements, avoiding places of protest, and preparation for possible evacuation.

Thousands displaced

Earlier, a Reuters report said the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said more than 338,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave.

OCHA said nearly 220,000 people, or two-thirds of the displaced people, have sought shelter in schools run by the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Another nearly 15,000 people fled to schools run by the Palestinian Authority, while more than 100,000 were being sheltered by relatives, neighbors and a church and other facilities in Gaza City.

OCHA said that around 3,000 people had already been displaced within the enclave prior to Saturday's attack.

Attack

Hamas militants carried out their deadliest attack in Israel's history on Saturday, when gunmen rampaged through Israeli towns, killing more than 1,000 people and taking scores of hostages to Gaza.

Israel has retaliated with air strikes on Gaza that have razed entire districts as it prepares for a possible ground offensive.

The DFA earlier reported that two Filipinos were killed following Hamas’ attack on Israel.

The fatalities were a 33-year-old female from Pangasinan who was working in Israel for six years, and a 42-year-old male from Pampanga.

A third Filipino fatality, meanwhile, is being confirmed through DNA testing, according to the Philippine Embassy in Israel.

On Wednesday, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the Philippines stands with Israel.

Palestine Ambassador to the Philippines Saleh Mohammad on Thursday said world leaders who expressed support to Israel amid its conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas gave a "wrong message" to Israel, which later on resulted in a "massacre" in the Gaza Strip. — with a report from Reuters/KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News