10 Nepali students, 3 Filipinos and 21 Thai workers confirmed dead in Israel-Gaza war
October 13, 2023
Filipino and Thai laborers and Nepali students have been killed or taken hostage amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Filipino casualties: Two Filipinos have lost their lives in the war, the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv said on Wednesday. The victims include a 42-year-old man from Pampanga, Philippines, who was captured by Hamas militants and a 33-year-old woman from Pangasinan who died alongside her employer when militants attempted to force their door open.
On Friday, the embassy confirmed a third Filipino fatality: a 49-year-old female caregiver from the Negros Oriental region. Additionally, there are reports of three Filipinos who remain unaccounted for in Israel and 70 Filipinos in Gaza seeking repatriation.
Philippine government response: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed condolences and pledged assistance to the victims’ families, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines said they stand ready to carry out evacuation operations for Filipinos in Israel if necessary, using Turkey’s Adana Şakirpaşa Airport as a “temporary safe haven.”
Thai casualties: Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has confirmed that at least 21 Thai nationals have been killed in the ongoing conflict. Thai families are also worried about the fate of 14 Thai citizens who have been taken hostage. However, the Thai Foreign Ministry has not released the names of the dead or hostages yet, leaving families in distress and uncertainty.
Anxious Thai families: On Thursday morning, the families anxiously gathered at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport awaiting the arrival of a commercial flight carrying 15 Thais, including several who were wounded.
There are approximately 30,000 Thais currently residing in Israel, mainly working in the agriculture sector. Many of those are low-wage farm workers from the nation’s impoverished northeast who sought higher wages in Israel. Thai authorities are reportedly working on potential evacuation options for more than 5,000 Thais requesting to return home.
Nepali casualties: According to the Nepal Embassy in Tel Aviv, at least 10 Nepali agriculture students were killed when Hamas militants attacked the Alumim kibbutz community. There are reportedly around 265 Nepali students pursuing education in Israel and around 4,500 are caregivers under nursing duties. The embassy confirmed that 55 Nepali students have been rescued and 72 Nepali students have been relocated away from the Israel-Gaza border. There are also search operations ongoing for a missing student.
Labor rights call for protection: Labor rights advocates have emphasized the risks faced by these workers in conflict zones, calling for better protection. The conflict has highlighted the need for a permanent shelter for temporary workers and psychological support in their first language. However, many workers reportedly remain hesitant to leave Israel due to the economic hardship they would also face in their home countries.
About the Israel-Gaza war: On Saturday, Hamas, an Islamist militant group, launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, involving hundreds of gunmen invading communities near the Gaza Strip. This attack resulted in at least 1,300 Israelis killed, with some soldiers and civilians, including women and children, taken as hostages by Hamas.
In response, Israel carried out numerous airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in more than 1,300 Palestinians killed. Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza, depriving it of essential supplies such as food and fuel. Israel has also amassed its forces along the Gaza border, raising concerns of a potential ground operation that could lead to further casualties.
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