Israel is actively seeking to recruit more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) amid ongoing repatriations and the conflict in Gaza.
In a press briefing last Monday, Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss revealed that 800 of the 28,000 OFWs in Israel had been repatriated after fulfilling their contracts. “We need tens of thousands of workers in Israel. We brought in workers from India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, but we don’t have OFWs coming into Israel as of this time,” Fluss stated.
The Philippine government had previously restricted the deployment of OFWs to Israel due to the war that erupted on October 7, 2023. Despite this, Ambassador Fluss expressed optimism about the current safety situation. “We hope that the Philippine government realizes it is now safe, except at the border in Gaza,” he said, maintaining that “everything is fine” in Israel, with restaurants, schools, hotels, and cinemas open for business. He emphasized that cities like Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa remain accessible to tourists.
The context of this labor demand comes in the wake of a devastating airstrike on May 26, which reportedly killed at least 35 people and injured dozens at a tent camp in Rafah. This incident occurred despite the International Court of Justice’s order for Israel to cease its military operations in the area.
The conflict was further fueled by an attack from the Islamist group Hamas, resulting in around 1,200 casualties and 250 hostages according to Israeli figures. Among the casualties was Loreta Alacre, an OFW from Negros Occidental. Ambassador Fluss visited Alacre’s family in Cadiz City on May 31 to ensure they received all necessary assistance from the Israeli government.
Additionally, Fluss noted that Jimmy Pacheco, one of the two Filipinos freed by Hamas, has returned to Israel. He highlighted Israel’s reputation as a good employer, treating OFWs like citizens and providing them with pension and medical insurance.