Governments around the world are evacuating thousands of their nationals caught up in the rapidly spiraling Israel-Iran conflict, organizing buses and planes and in some cases assisting people crossing borders on foot.
Foreigners have rushed to leave both countries after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign Friday last week, targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, sparking retaliation from Tehran.
The Philippines is preparing to repatriate 28 Israel-based Filipino workers out of 178 who asked for help, Department of Migrant Workers secretary Hans Cacdac said Thursday.
At least 21 national and local government officials – including nine mayors, four vice mayors, and two party-list representatives – who were part of an Israeli government-sponsored study visit have also crossed into Jordan by land from Israel.
The government is also preparing to repatriate around 14 OFWs from Iran, while continuing coordination with Philippine embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said each returning OFW will receive P150,000 in financial assistance, split equally between the DMW’s Action Fund and OWWA’s Emergency Repatriation Fund.
The aid package is designed to cover about two months’ worth of lost income and help workers transition while awaiting new opportunities or reintegration.
The DMW also appealed to private recruitment agencies (PRAs) to postpone the deployment of processed Filipino workers to conflict-affected nations in the Middle East.
The DMW issued Advisory No. 19, reiterating restrictions in the deployment of OFWs to Israel, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Lebanon remains under Alert Level 3, which prohibits deployment of both new hires and returning workers, while Israel is under Alert Level 2, which means that only returning workers with valid contracts are allowed.
OFWs, however, including those bound for Jordan, cannot proceed due to airspace closures amid the ongoing tensions in the region.
As of June 19, a total of 58 stranded OFWs — including 43 bound for Israel and 15 for Jordan — have been assisted by DMW’s Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for repatriation.
Five Filipinos have been injured in recent attacks in Israel, with three already discharged from the hospital, one recovering, and another in critical condition.
European countries have likewise already repatriated hundreds of their citizens from Israel.
The Czech Republic and Slovakia said they had taken 181 people home on government planes.
The German government said flights were scheduled via Jordan, while Greece repatriated 105 of its citizens plus a number of foreign nationals via Egypt.
The US ambassador to Israel on Wednesday announced plans for evacuating Americans by air and sea.
The embassy is “working on evacuation flights and cruise ship departures” for “American citizens wanting to leave Israel,” Ambassador Mike Huckabee posted on social media.
China has evacuated more than 1,600 citizens from Iran and several hundred more from Israel.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Thursday its “embassies and consulates will continue to make every effort to assist in the safe transfer and evacuation of Chinese citizens.”
Australia has also started evacuating around 1,500 citizens from Iran and more than 1,200 from Israel — but missile barrages have made it too risky for civilian aircraft to land in either country, its foreign minister said.
“There’s no capacity for people to get civilian aircraft in, it is too risky, and the airspace is closed,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong told national broadcaster ABC.
Pakistan has shut its border crossings with neighboring Iran, except to Pakistanis wanting to return home.
Around 1,000 Pakistanis have fled so far, including at least 200 students.
Japan has ordered military planes to be on standby for around 1,000 Japanese nationals believed to live in Israel, and around 280 in Iran, according to government ministers.
Indonesia, on the other hand, is preparing to evacuate around 380 of its citizens currently in Iran by land, Jakarta’s foreign minister said Thursday.
“Flights are no longer possible, so the only way is by land route. It will start tonight,” Foreign Minister Sugiono, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said in a video. With AFP
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Governments scramble to evacuate citizens from Israel, Iran”
