MANILA -- The Philippine Embassy in Israel is working closely with authorities for the repatriation of the remains of the two Filipinos who were killed during a Saturday rampage by Hamas militants near the Gaza border in Southern Israel.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed his sadness on Wednesday over the death of two Filipino nationals who were killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict as he denounced the violence and terror attacks. He vowed continued support to affected Filipinos.

“We have received request for assistance para sa pagpapauwi ng dalawang nasawi. We are still coordinating with the authorities po sa pag-retrieve po ng body,” Welfare Officer Dina Ponciano said in a press briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs announced the death of the two Filipinos following the violent attacks of Hamas in Southern Israel. These have been confirmed by Israeli authorities.

Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr. in Tel Aviv said during the briefing via video link that he spoke with the wife of one of the victims on Tuesday night to inform her of the sad news and to convey their sympathies.

“I promised her that the embassy will provide all the necessary assistance she needs. The President will also speak to her today to convey his personal condolences and offer additional assistance,” Laylo said, adding that the embassy will not disclose the identities of the deceased in line with the family’s request for privacy.

“We continue to work closely with Israeli authorities and local contacts to find the three Filipinos who are still missing. Despite sporadic rocket attacks and the distressing images you see in the news and on social media these depict only certain areas in Israel particularly in areas surrounding the Gaza Strip.”

The Philippine consulate described one of the victims as a 33-year-old married female from Pangasinan who has been working in Israel for six years. The other victim is a 42-year-old male from Pampanga.

The ambassador said that the Embassy’s Migrant Workers Office and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (MWO-OWWA) Team continue to provide assistance to evacuated Filipinos taken to safer ground or being treated for injuries.

He added that the MWO-OWWA Team has been working tirelessly in the last two days to ensure that all Filipinos are accounted for and that those affected are given medical emergency assistance.

“We continue to provide Filipinos in Israel with timely advisories, safety guidelines, and important instructions through our social media accounts and messenger platforms. We also regularly hold Zoom briefings with Filipino community leaders.” (PND)