Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco, the Filipino caregiver who was abducted during the Hamas attack in Israel, returned to Manila on Monday.
Pacheco safely arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport – Terminal 1 on board Philippine Airlines flight PR659 from Dubai around
8:30 a.m.
Upon his arrival, he was welcomed by his wife Clarice and representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, together with Department of Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac, OWWA Administrator Arnel Ignacio and Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines
Ilan Fluss.
Pacheco was placed under the custody of Israeli Embassy officials and underwent medical evaluations at Shamir Medical Center after Hamas
released him and other hostages last month.
The Israeli government provides Pacheco and his family lifetime social security benefits and regular stipends similar to those given to Israelis who are victims of terrorist attacks.
Pacheco worked as a caregiver for five years in Israel and will continue to receive financial help and livelihood assistance from the Philippine government.
He was among the first group of 24 hostages released by Hamas that were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by eight staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The Israeli hostages released included four children accompanied by four family members and five other elderly women.