Over 30 OFWs return to Philippines from Israel

The tenth batch of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from war-torn Israel safely landed in the Philippines on Thursday night. 

More than 30 OFWs, composed of caregivers and hotel staff workers, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, according to JP Soriano’s report on “24 Oras”.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration offered the returning Filipino workers a repatriation assistance package of P50,000 each to address the needs of their families and help them transition smoothly back to their daily lives.

Meanwhile, Gelienor Jimmy Pacheco and Noralyn Babadilla — the two hostages recently released from Hamas captivity remain in Israel and have been visited by the officials of the Philippine Embassy earlier. 

Israel and Hamas struck a last-minute agreement on Thursday to extend their ceasefire for a seventh day, while mediators pressed on with talks to extend the truce further to free more hostages and let aid reach Gaza, according to a report by Reuters. 

The war between Israel and Hamas, which is based in Gaza, started on October 7 when the Palestinian Islamist group launched deadly attacks on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages.

Israel retaliated with air strikes and later launched a ground offensive in Gaza.

Pinoy seafarers kidnapped 

Meanwhile, the Philippine government is monitoring the condition of 17 Filipino seafarers who were held hostage by the Yemeni rebel group Houthi after it seized a cargo ship in the southern Red Sea.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. canceled his trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for the COP28, scheduled on Friday, December 1, citing "important developments" in the hostage incident. 

Marcos instructed Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga to lead the Philippine delegation to COP28 on his behalf.

"Today, I will be convening a meeting to facilitate the dispatch of a high-level delegation to Tehran, Iran, with the aim of providing necessary assistance to our seafarers," Marcos said 

The Houthis, an ally of Iran, have been launching long-range missile and drone salvoes toward Israel in solidarity with the Hamas militants fighting in the Gaza Strip. 

Israel said the Houthis had seized a British-owned and Japanese-operated cargo ship in the southern Red Sea, describing the incident as an "Iranian act of terrorism" with consequences for international maritime security.

The Houthis said they had seized a ship in that area, but described it as Israeli. —Sundy Locus/NB, GMA Integrated News