THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Monday said a Filipino was injured in a massive offensive by Hamas against Israel.
DMW officer in charge Hans Leo Cacdac said the Filipino was injured in the process of rescue.
“He got shot in the arm, grazed by a bullet. But he is not in a life-threatening situation, he is in a hospital,” said Cacdac.
The DMW helped at least 25 OFWs and their families move to safer ground in Israel after the Palestinian militant group launched its shock attack over the weekend, Cacdac told ANC’s “Dateline.”
Five Filipinos in Israel remained unaccounted for. Two of them work in the same farm while the rest were in separate areas, the official said.
“It’s possible that they are in safe rooms or in houses where they are far from or not where they were initially registered. In other words, they [may have] transferred or decided to move to places where their fellow Filipinos might be or where they feel they would be safer,” Cacdac said.
“We are not necessarily thinking that they’re in harm’s way, but rather it’s just a matter or an effort to find them, locate them,” he added.
The death toll from the conflict has topped 1,100 by Monday, the third day of clashes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel on Sunday to prepare for a “long and difficult” conflict after Hamas fired at least rockets 3,000 rockets from Gaza and sent a wave of fighters who gunned down civilians.
At least 100 citizens were captured by Hamas and abducted into Gaza, with images circulating on social media of bloodied hostages. Officials earlier said they were verifying reports that some Filipinos were among the hostages.
