More than 100 OFWs in Israel lost homes to missile strikes, says embassy

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June 23, 2025 | 6:38pm

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos in Israel who have lost their homes amid Iran's ongoing drone and missile attacks has climbed to 127, according to the Philippine embassy in Israel. 

Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola-Rau confirmed in a radio interview on Monday that of the 127 displaced, the embassy has moved 118 of them to temporary housing accommodations. 

"Those who had their houses destroyed are now 127, but of this 127, 118 have been resettled. We're just arranging the resettlement of the nine," Mendiola-Rau said in an interview with TeleRadyo.

Dozens seek repatriation. As of Monday, the embassy already has a confirmed list of 50 Filipinos in Israel who have requested to return to the Philippines. 

This is on top of the 26 that the embassy has already transported to Jordan through the border crossing last week, and whose arrival in the Philippines is set for Tuesday morning, June 24. 

At least 30,000 Filipinos are in Israel, most of whom work as caregivers. So far, at least eight have been hurt from the missile attacks, with one still in critical condition, based on the embassy's latest update on Monday.

"As we speak, limited mobility has returned, like the rules imposed on June 13. So it means that the offices are closed again. People cannot congregate," Mendiola-Rau said in mixed English and Filipino.

"They're hunkering down. Everybody's being asked to stay at home near the bomb shelters. But they can still go out to buy food and gas up," the Philippine ambassador added.

Warning against disinformation. Mendiola-Rau, however, appealed to the Filipinos in Israel to avoid spreading false information about the embassy's activities amid the ongoing conflict.

"Because we encountered this yesterday. What we need is for our countrymen here in Israel not to release fake news. Because there's fake news that the embassy has already left [Israel]," she said.

The disinformation had prompted Mendiola-Rau to bring up the matter to community leaders last night while discussing logistics for pre-positioning relief goods, she said.

"What's important is that everybody becomes very responsible in terms of the use of their social media. Because the time and effort of the embassy is wasted," Mendiola-Rau said. "At the same time, the community leaders' time is also wasted."

Israel closed its airspace shortly after it launched missile strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites on June 13. Iran retaliated with waves of missile and drone attacks across Israel, prompting residents, including embassy officials, to take shelter in underground bomb shelters. Both countries have suffered civilian casualties but have shown no signs of de-escalating.