Israel prioritizing rescue of Hamas kidnap victims —envoy

The Israeli government is prioritizing the safe rescue of at least 220 individuals that the Hamas militants abducted during its October 7 attack, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Friday.

Fluss said there are still no talks of a ceasefire amid the raging war, Sandra Aguinaldo reported on “24 Oras."

Latest death toll showed that 1,400 Israelis died in the conflict while the Palestinian death toll reached around 7,000.

“We have to make sure the Hamas cannot attack Israel again. Hamas is continuing to launch rockets and missiles on Israeli communities and towns all the way to Tel Aviv, and this continues on a daily basis,” said Fluss.

Two Filipinos were believed to be among the hostages held by the Hamas militants, a Reuters report said Wednesday.

However, a report of GMA Integrated News’ JP Soriano on Thursday said the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv has yet to receive official confirmation that Filipinos are among those held hostage by Hamas.

“As you know nobody was able to see none of the kidnapped people because Hamas is not allowing even the Red Cross to visit those who have been abducted in Gaza,” said Fluss. 

“So there's no evidence, no clear sighting of quite a few of the people that we believe that have been kidnapped,” he added.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News