MANILA — A corridor to Egypt may open for the exodus of foreign nationals from Gaza “any day now,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday, citing information from Israeli officials.

The entire Gaza strip has been placed under a blockade for over a week after militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack that killed over a thousand people in Southern Israel.

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“Ang sabi nila, it could be any day now na magbubukas. Kailangan handa yung ating mga kababayan,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said in a public briefing.

De Vega did not give a specific date for the opening of the safe passageway out of Gaza, but noted that it would only be open for non-Palestinians.

“Sabi ng Israel, walang Palestinian na bibigyan ng authority na lumabas ng Gaza. Similar ito sa Ukraine situation na hindi pinayagang lumabas ang mga Ukranians… kaya may mga Pilipina na naiwan sa Ukraine,” the DFA official said.

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“Makakalusot po ang mga anak… dahil may mga papeles sila ng Pilipinas… Wala tayong guarantee at all sa (Palestinian) spouses,” he said.

The DFA has prepared a bus that would transport 150 people from the Rafah border crossing to Cairo, De Vega said.

They will stay in Cairo for a few days before boarding a flight to Manila, he said.

“Pagdating sa Egyptian side, hindi ibig sabihin na lusot na…Pagdating doon, may immigration ng Egypt,” he said.

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“Ang worry natin hindi yung corridor pero kung gaano sila katagal ipro-process para sa visa sa Egyptian side,” he said.

“Ayon sa ating experience doon sa Sudan, matagal-tagal pagdating sa border ng Egypt,” he added.

At least 137 Filipinos are situated in Hamas-controlled Gaza, data from the DFA showed.

Most of them are already waiting at the border to Egypt and are safe, but the situation remains dire, De Vega said.

“They are safe. The question is kumusta na ang kanilang supplies. May blockage so limited yung food at electricity sa Gaza,” he said.

“May balita kami na isang nanay ang kumakain na ng expired bread kasi kulang na ang food,” he said.

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Israel's devastating air strikes on Gaza have killed at least 2,750 Palestinians, mostly civilians.

Israel is deploying tens of thousands of troops to the border in preparation for a full-scale ground offensive.

Israel has told some 1.1 million Gazans -- nearly half the population of 2.4 million -- to leave the north of the densely populated enclave, in anticipation of the operation.

Thousands have gathered at Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the only one not controlled by Israel, in an effort to flee.

Meanwhile, the families of the three Filipinos in Israel who were killed in the Hamas’ attack have received aid from the Israeli government, DFA's De Vega said.

“Sa Israel law, yung mga namatay dahil sa terrorism, binibigyan ng ayuda kahit na hindi Israeli,” he said.

The Philippine government is still looking for 3 other Filipinos who remain unaccounted for, he said.

“Wala pa tayong confirmation na nadakip sila ng Hamas. Although confirmed ng Hamas na mayroon silang nadakip na over 100 baka nakasama sila. Ipagdasal natin na buhay pa sila, sana lumitaw pa din,” he said.

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