Israel calls for release of 33 child hostages in Gaza

CASUALTIES OF WAR. Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines conducts a press briefing in Makati City on Monday (Nov. 13, 2023) to remind about the hostage victims of the terrorist group Hamas. He said the blindfolded teddy bears represent the 33 children whose fate remains unknown. (PNA photos by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss on Monday called for the release of 33 children who were held hostage in Gaza by Hamas militants when it attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

“Just think about it, it is not human. The message is, release the hostages, release the children.

Let them go home,” he said during a media briefing.

“The real picture is the 10-month-old baby that was kidnapped, taken from his home.

For me, this is really the story.”

Kfir Bibas is the youngest of the 239 hostages, including 33 children, held by Hamas.

He was nine months old when he was abducted together with his parents and four-year-old sibling five weeks ago.

“This is an ongoing campaign. This war was imposed on Israel and it is a response to a murderous terrorist attack, butchering,” Fluss said.

He noted that authorities have been working in the past month to identify the victims who were slaughtered in their homes, on the streets and at a music festival.

Some of them were burned, mutilated, raped and tortured as shown in the video footages recorded and disseminated via social media by the militants themselves.

Help for affected Filipinos

Fluss said the embassy cares about all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are in Israel and the families of those who died due to the atrocity.

“We will take care of them exactly the same as we take care of our own Israeli families of the victims of terrorism,” he said.

“They will get exactly the same support as Israelis would get. Exactly the same monthly income to the parent, to the spouse, taking care of the education of the children and all kinds of assistance,” he added.

The help will be given directly to the families.

The embassy assured Filipinos concerned that it would provide assistance for all the paperwork and processes they have to undergo to go home.

To date, a total of 224 OFWs and eight children have been repatriated back to the country.

Meanwhile, 98 Filipinos were able to leave Gaza as of Nov. 11.

When asked about Jimmy Gelienor and another Filipino who are missing, Fluss said the embassy has not received any update if they have been murdered together with the other 239 individuals kidnapped.

Nonetheless, he assured that the Israeli government is working on getting all foreigners out of the conflict-stricken Gaza, bringing home all the hostages, and ensuring that Hamas will not attack Israel again.