By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora | Philippine News Agency
The Israeli Embassy in Manila on Friday said the two remaining missing Filipinos in Israel were “likely” kidnapped by the militant Hamas group.
A Reuters report on Oct 26 quoted the Israeli government as saying that more than half of the estimated 220 being held hostage by the Hamas in Gaza have foreign passports, including “two from the Philippines.”
In a virtual press conference, Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss said he cannot make any confirmation as of yet as “there is no final exact information” whether the Filipinos were among those abducted when Hamas mounted the Oct. 7 assault.
“We know that there are two missing and we’re not able to identify them. Because of the atrocities and burning of the bodies (during the attack) there’s still some bodies that have not yet been identified,” he said.
“So it is likely that there are two OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) that have been kidnapped. But I’m saying this, it is likely,” he added.
Fluss, meanwhile, assured the public that the Israeli government is exerting “maximum efforts” to resolve the hostage issue.
“Nobody was able to see any of the kidnapped people because Hamas is not even allowing the Red Cross to visit those that have been abducted and kidnapped into Gaza,” he said.
“So there is no evidence, no clear sighting of the people that we believe have been kidnapped,” he added.
The envoy said a ceasefire is still unlikely at this point as Hamas “are still launching attacks on Israel.”
“If, as a responsible government, they (Hamas) want to make life better for their own citizens, then dismantle your terror facilities. As I said before, they are still launching attacks on Israel. Number two, put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages, which they kidnapped from Israel,” he said.
“The pressure for a ceasefire has to be put on Hamas, because our responsibility is for the safety and security of the Israeli borders and Israeli civilians,” he added. (PNA)
