5 Pinoys unaccounted for amid Israel war with Hamas —envoy -- By ANNA FELICIA BAJO and JOVILAND RITA, GMA Integrated News

At least five Filipinos are unaccounted for amid the massive attack of Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel over the weekend, a Philippine official said Monday. Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr. said Israeli authorities were able to locate two from the seven Filipinos who were earlier reported to be unaccounted. "Actually lima na lang (ang unaccounted), 'yung dalawa bale noong nag-clearing operations 'yung IDF [Israel Defense Forces] may dalawa na nakita sila," he said. (There are now only five. Two were found during the clearing operations of the IDF.) Laylo added that the two were found hiding in a "safe room." "May mga safe rooms kasi diyan, dito sa mga bahay sa Israel. Doon sila nagtago. Noong kinatok ng IDF noong nag-clearing sila, natagpuan nila itong dalawang Pilipino na nagtatago," he said. (Houses here in Israel have safe rooms. That's where they were found hiding by the IDF.) Laylo said Philippine authorities continue to coordinate with their counterparts in Israel to ensure the safety of Filipinos and locate those who have remained unaccounted for. Meanwhile, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega told GMA News Online that the Philippine Embassy in Israel is checking on the information shared by an Israel-based overseas Filipino worker (OFW) that eight Filipinos were missing. "[I]f the Pinoy is saying 8, Embassy is checking," De Vega said. Interviewed on Unang Balita on Monday, Benjamin Nepomuceno said the information regarding the eight missing Filipinos were posted in a Facebook community page.

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