An Israeli official turned emotional as she paid tribute to Filipino workers in the country, after a Filipino nurse was killed in the conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum earlier said that the nurse, Angelyn Aguirre, had refused to leave her elderly patient Nira despite "a chance to flee the Hamas terror attacks."

In an interview with ABS-CBN News on Thursday, October 12, Hassan-Nahoum held back tears as she described the contributions of the Filipino community in Israel, relating that her own mother was taken care of by Filipino nurses.

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"The Filipino community in the State of Israel is very much loved and appreciated. They take care of our elderly and they take care of special needs children.

"My mother was taken care of by two wonderful nurses and I owe them so much. There are so many people in this country that owe the Filipino community so much.

"For us, it's as painful to lose one of you as it is to lose one of us," she said.

(Interview by Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News)