THE Bureau of Immigration is on standby to extend assistance to Filipinos who will be repatriated due to the armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. 

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the agency would deploy special teams that would expeditiously process the documents of repatriated Filipinos and their families.

“Should they come on special flights, we will have a dedicated team process their documents immediately upon arrival,” he added.

At present, no schedules for repatriation have been coordinated with the BI, but they are closely monitoring updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers. 

“The BI will do what it can to extend assistance to agencies involved in the repatriation of Filipinos,” Tansingco said. 

At least 800 people have been killed in Israel since the surprise offensive by Hamas on Saturday.

On the Gaza side, at least 687 people have been killed after Israel launched air strikes on the Palestinian enclave in response.

Hamas earlier released images of several Israelis taken captive, and another army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, confirmed that “there are kidnapped soldiers and civilians.”

Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro Laylo Jr., said on Monday that at least five Filipinos remain unaccounted for. 

with a report from Agence France Presse