Southeast Asians seek to escape Israel-Palestine war zone

“Gaza people’s homes are being bombed and leveled. What you see on the media is actually happening,” the 44-year-old said, as the sounds of explosions and warplanes rang out in the background.

Southeast Asian citizens seek to escape the war zone of Israel and Palestine image 1 — Abdillah Onim (left), and her children, plan to evacuate to Egypt with her family amid escalating conflict in Gaza. Photo: Abdillah Onim

Onim – married to a Gazan and with three young children – has lived in Gaza since 2009. After the recent conflict, he was forced to consider returning to Indonesia, although the journey home looked set to be an arduous one.

Onim said in a webinar hosted by the Islamic University of Indonesia on Tuesday (Oct. 10) that he would try to evacuate to Egypt “in the near future” with his children and wife. However, he admitted that his plan was “just wishful thinking.”

“Without a means of transport to the border, it would be impossible. Regular vehicles are very vulnerable to missiles. The trip to the border would be like an action movie, you cannot imagine a car driving through bombs and bullets,” he shared.

Following Saturday's surprise attack by the militant group Hamas, countries in Southeast Asia have issued advice to their citizens in Israel and the Palestinian Territories to leave or stay safe.

In the face of the escalating conflict between Hamas and Israel, Vietnam calls on relevant parties to exercise restraint and not take actions that may complicate the situation. On October 8, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang stated: "Vietnam is closely following and is deeply concerned about the escalating violence between Hamas and Israel, causing many civilian casualties."
According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel has proactively implemented many citizen protection measures, including: posting notices on the Embassy's official social networking site, recommending and guiding measures to ensure security and safety for citizens, and providing contact information when necessary.
Vietnamese citizens in need of assistance can contact the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel at 972-50-818-6116 and +972-52-727-4248, +972-50-994-0889 or the Citizen Protection Hotline of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at +84 981 84 84 84.

Singapore and Malaysia

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday advised Singaporeans to leave Israel and the Palestinian Territories "as soon as possible through available commercial options".

Thailand and the Philippines, which have large numbers of citizens working in Israel, said they were working to repatriate those who wanted to return home, while aid group Mercy Malaysia said it would not enter Gaza due to the dangerous situation there.

A Malaysian security expert also noted the difficulties in coordinating repatriation efforts of foreign nationals, especially for countries that do not have formal ties with the Israeli government.

Thailand

Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee said on Tuesday that more than 3,000 Thai citizens in Israel have expressed their desire to return home.

There are about 30,000 Thai workers in Israel, including about 5,000 who work in the conflict zone. According to the Bangkok Post, Mr. Jakkapong said the first group of evacuees is expected to return on Thursday.

He added that the initial repatriation process would rely on commercial flights as military aircraft were not allowed to land in Israel. This, he said, was because the fighting was moving closer to airports.

Meanwhile, 18 Thais were confirmed dead. According to AFP, Hamas has taken about 150 people hostage, including 11 Thai citizens. The militant group has also threatened to execute each hostage if Israel continues its airstrikes on Gaza.

Indonesia

There are currently 45 Indonesians in the Palestinian Territories. According to Judha Nugraha, Director of Citizen Protection at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, there are 10 Indonesians in Gaza and 35 in the West Bank. He said there are also 230 Indonesians in Israel who are engaged in religious tourism.

Southeast Asian citizens seek to escape the war zone of Israel and Palestine image 2 — Fierce conflict is taking place between Gaza and Israel. Photo: AFP

On Tuesday, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Lalu Muhammad Iqbal said the Indonesian government had prepared a contingency plan for the evacuation of Indonesian citizens “with several scenarios.”

“The streets are deserted. For the past three days, I have not been able to go out to buy things for my wife and children because the situation is unpredictable. For example, there could be a bomb attack 10 meters away, 500 meters away,” he said.

Philippines

In a statement on Monday, the Philippine Presidential Communications Office said Filipinos living in Israel have not requested immediate repatriation.

“However, the Embassy has a repatriation plan in place and is ready to implement a similar plan if necessary. The Embassy has sufficient resources for this commitment,” the statement said.

The agency added that if the repatriation of Filipinos in Gaza is carried out, the office stands ready to assist the Philippine Embassy in Amman, Jordan, which has primary jurisdiction over Gaza.

“The embassy will coordinate with the Israeli authorities to ensure the smooth transfer of Filipinos from Gaza to Jordan,” the statement added. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, at least 38 Filipinos in the Gaza Strip have expressed their intention to return home.

There are more than 30,000 Filipinos in Israel as of December 2021, said Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Teresita Daza. Daza also said there are currently 137 Filipinos in Gaza.

Mai Anh (according to VNA, CNA, AFP,)

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