Philippines president welcomes release of Noralin Babadilla, thanks Israel, Egypt and Qatar

A Filipino-Israeli woman arrived in Israel after being released by Hamas Tuesday night as part of a group of 12 hostages, the president of the Philippines announces.

Noralin Babadilla was the second of two Filipinos released from captivity in Gaza during the truce in the Israel-Hamas war. With her release, “all Filipinos affected by the war have been accounted for,” writes President Ferdinand Marcos.

Babadilla, who lived in Israel and worked as a caregiver, was visiting friends in Kibbutz Nirim with her husband during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, the Israeli embassy in Manila said in a statement. Her husband, Gideon Babani, was killed during the attack, and Babadilla was taken hostage.

Marcos thanks Israel for facilitating Babadilla’s release, and thanks Egypt and Qatar “for their crucial role in this process over the past several weeks.”