40 Filipinos flee war-ravaged Gaza Strip through Rafah crossing and arrive in Egypt

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says 40 Filipinos have fled from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip into Egypt through the Rafah crossing after Filipino diplomats negotiated for their safe passage and Qatar mediated for the border to be opened. The Filipinos were traveling to the Egyptian capital of Cairo, where they planned to take flights back to the Philippines, Marcos said in a video message in Manila. Two Filipino doctors managed to leave the Gaza Strip into Egypt last week. Most of at least 134 Filipinos in Gaza, many of whom are married to Palestinians, have sought help to leave the besieged territory and are waiting for an opportunity to leave, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said.