♦️Israeli emergency services: 11 people injured after Iranian missiles hit Tel Aviv, one of them in critical condition @AkhbareFori ♦️Israeli emergency services: 11 people injured after Iranian missiles hit Tel Aviv, one of them in critical condition @AkhbareFori

♦️اورژانس رژیم صهیونیستی: ۱۱ نفر در پی اصابت موشک‌های ایرانی در تل‌آویو مجروح شدند که حال یکی از آن‌ها وخیم است @AkhbareFori ♦️اورژانس رژیم صهیونیستی: ۱۱ نفر در پی اصابت موشک‌های ایرانی در تل‌آویو مجروح شدند که حال یکی از آن‌ها وخیم است @AkhbareFori

♦️2 Zionists killed in Iranian missile attack🔹 Zionist media reported the complete destruction of a building and the killing of 2 Zionists following an Iranian missile attack.@AkhbareFori ♦️2 Zionists killed in Iranian missile attack🔹 Zionist media reported the complete destruction of a building and the killing of 2 Zionists following an Iranian missile attack.@AkhbareFori

♦️۲ کشته از صهیونیست‌ها در حمله موشکی ایران🔹رسانه‌های رژیم صهیونیستی از تخریب کامل یک ساختمان و کشته شدن ۲ صهیونیست در پی حمله موشکی ایران خبر دادند.@AkhbareFori ♦️۲ کشته از صهیونیست‌ها در حمله موشکی ایران🔹رسانه‌های رژیم صهیونیستی از تخریب کامل یک ساختمان و کشته شدن ۲ صهیونیست در پی حمله موشکی ایران خبر دادند.@AkhbareFori

♦️The daughter of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid published pictures of her apartment in Tel Aviv that was damaged by Iranian missiles/Jamaran@AkhbareFori ♦️The daughter of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid published pictures of her apartment in Tel Aviv that was damaged by Iranian missiles/Jamaran@AkhbareFori

♦️دختر یائیر لاپید، وزیر امور خارجه رژیم صهیونیستی، تصاویری از آپارتمانش در تل‌آویو که در اثر موشک‌های ایرانی آسیب دیده است، منتشر کرد/جماران@AkhbareFori ♦️دختر یائیر لاپید، وزیر امور خارجه رژیم صهیونیستی، تصاویری از آپارتمانش در تل‌آویو که در اثر موشک‌های ایرانی آسیب دیده است، منتشر کرد/جماران@AkhbareFori

Urgent | Israeli ambulance: An Israeli woman was killed by a rocket that struck Tel Aviv, and 20 others were injured at the same location.

عاجل | الإسعاف الإسرائيلي: مقتل إسرائيلية جراء سقوط صاروخ في مدينة تل أبيب ونقل 20 مصابا آخر من الموقع ذاته

One woman was killed and at least 22 others were wounded in a direct strike on a residential building during a barrage late Saturday targeting Tel Aviv. One of the wounded was listed in serious condition, another in moderate condition and the rest sustained minor injuries.Rescue teams were searching the scene, where a large crater was formed, over concerns that additional people may be trapped or injured.For reasons that remain unclear, the siren did not provide residents with the standard minute and a half to reach a protected space, giving them less time than required, despite an early alert warning of the anticipated launch. The IDF declined to comment for now on the reported delay in activating the siren. MAKE ynetGlobal MY TRUSTED SOURCE Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency service, said a man in his 40s was seriously wounded by shrapnel. The woman, who initially was in critical condition, succumbed to her injuries a few hours after the attack.2 View gallery (Photo: Ziv Koren)Earlier, paramedics reported one person in moderate condition and others with light injuries. In a prior update, two people were described as moderately wounded. Search and rescue teams were continuing to scan the area amid concerns that people may be trapped.2 View gallery (Photo: Moti Kimchi)Vehicles caught fire and the roof of a residential building was seen burning following the impact. Emergency crews worked to extinguish the flames and search for additional casualties.

Forty buildings were damaged and 200 residents evacuated after an intact Iranian missile struck an older Tel Aviv building, killing a caregiver; the Home Front Command said cluster munitions were identified and warned of falling interception debris 'like minibuses from the sky'An intact Iranian missile struck Tel Aviv, killing a live-in caregiver, in what the Home Front Command said was the only fatal direct hit so far in Operation Roaring Lion.The caregiver, who was assisting an elderly woman, was killed at the scene Saturday when the missile hit an older residential building whose designated protected spaces are public shelters rather than in-building safe rooms.1 View gallery The scene of the fall in Tel Aviv (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)Tel Aviv city officials said municipal representatives arrived shortly after the strike and set up an assistance center near the impact site, where community and social services teams provided initial aid to residents. MAKE ynetGlobal MY TRUSTED SOURCE More than 200 residents were evacuated from the area and housed in three hotels nearby. About 40 buildings have been inspected so far. One was declared unfit for habitation, 29 sustained property damage without significant structural impact and 10 suffered minor damage such as broken shutters.The Home Front Command said Iran has so far launched several hundred missiles toward Israel and other countries in the region. Unlike Operation Rising Lion, when barrages of 20 to 30 missiles were fired in organized waves followed by hourslong pauses, the current campaign has featured a steady trickle of launches toward Israel’s home front.An official said the largest recent barrage consisted of only several dozen missiles, roughly a third or a quarter of the largest salvos during Operation Rising Lion. “We saw three missiles, and after 10 minutes another three,” the official said, noting that the pattern has caused confusion in some areas.The Home Front Command said it has identified cluster munitions similar to those seen in the previous campaign. “The damage is relatively limited compared to the larger missiles, but it is important to take cover and follow instructions,” officials said. They also warned of falling interceptor debris, “which is like minibuses falling from the sky.”According to the official, most of the launches have originated from western Iran. “In the coming days, we will increase joint operational and offensive activity with the Americans against these launch threats,” he said.He concluded that “challenging days are ahead. We draw lessons every day, and for now the strict defensive policy remains in place.” Regarding Ben-Gurion Airport, he said the Home Front Command is conducting ongoing assessments, but it will not reopen within the next 24 hours.

The IDF also confirmed that the fatal strike in Tel Aviv a day earlier, which killed a live-in caregiver, was caused by a direct missile hit rather than interceptor fragments. Tel Aviv city officials said 40 buildings were damaged in that strike, one declared uninhabitable, and more than 200 residents were evacuated to three hotels.

Impacts were reported here in Tel Aviv. There were also hits in Bnei Brak, with several people injured.

Einschläge bei uns in Tel Aviv. Auch in Bnei Brak gab es Treffer, mehrere Verletzte.

—❗️🇮🇱/🇮🇷 Tel Aviv@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇮🇷/🇮🇱 Footage of the impact in Tel Aviv@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇮🇷/🇮🇱 BREAKING: At least 4 impacts in Tel Aviv@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇮🇷/🇮🇱 One of the impact sites in Tel Aviv; it is said the Iranian missile had a cluster warhead@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇮🇱/🇮🇷 Tel Aviv is turned into rubble@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇮🇱/🇮🇷 Tel Aviv@Middle_East_Spectator

🇮🇷🇮🇱| Iran left a BIG crater in Tel Aviv, this was a missile with a big warhead. @FotrosResistancee

Israeli sources report an Iranian ballistic missile impact in central Israel from around 10 minutes ago.

The Israeli Army Radio reports that one person has been seriously injured in Tel Aviv

Reports of 1 death and 1 injury in Tel Aviv

A fire is seen burning in Tel Aviv after an Iranian ballistic missile impact.

At least 5 people have been injured in Tel Aviv

Destruction seen in Tel Aviv from the previous impacts.

⚡️🇮🇱🇮🇷 More Footage of an impact area in Tel Aviv. @wfwitness

⚡🇮🇱🇮🇷 The Iranian ballistic missile that impacted Tel Aviv this evening hit a residential building Impact 32°4'5.82"N 34°46'48.65"E @wfwitness

⚡️🇮🇷🇮🇱 Al-Jazeera: 2 israelis were killed and at least 21 injured following the Iranian missile attacks on Tel Aviv tonight.@wfwitness

Israeli media analyzing a direct hit on Tel Aviv, discussing munitions they "haven't encountered until now.""There was confirmation that a missile with a cluster warhead was launched... but cluster munitions can't cause this kind of damage."Something is different about this missile.....🔴 @DDGeopolitics | Socials | Donate | Advertising

National Security Minister Ben Gvir visited the impact site in Tel Aviv to thank the United Hatzalah volunteers and psychotrauma unit for their professional response.

United Hatzalah provided emergency medical treatment in Tel Aviv following a missile impact. Patients include 1 serious, 1 moderate, 6 minor, and an infant with a head injury. Responders are working to locate and extricate individuals potentially trapped under rubble.

Videos from the scene of the direct missile hit.

Update from the scene in Tel Aviv

UPDATE: Tel Aviv: One Fatality and Multiple Patients Treated Following Direct Missile Strike UNITED HATZALAH SPOKESPERSON—CENTRAL DISTRICT: United Hatzalah first responders provided emergency medical treatment on Sunday to multiple patients following rocket attacks in central Israel. In Tel Aviv, a woman approximately 50 years old was pronounced dead due to the severity of her injuries. Responders also treated one patient in critical condition, one in serious condition, and 11 others who sustained minor injuries. Numerous individuals were also treated for emotional shock. United Hatzalah EMT Yehonatan Uziahu reported: "We encountered scenes of extensive destruction. Our responders treated 11 patients in stable condition, one in serious condition, and one in critical condition, as well as many individuals suffering from emotional shock. Unfortunately, a woman approximately 50 years old was pronounced dead due to the nature of her severe injuries. Since the start of the escalation, United Hatzalah volunteer physicians, paramedics, and EMTs have provided medical assistance at scenes across the country to approximately 120 patients with various degrees of injury, some of whom were transported to hospitals. Additionally, United Hatzalah's Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit provided support to a large number of individuals suffering from emotional shock."

WATCH: United Hatzalah responders evacuate an elderly patient from a building affected by a missile strike in Tel Aviv.

UPDATE: Tel Aviv: Search and Rescue Efforts Ongoing Following Missile Impact UNITED HATZALAH SPOKESPERSON—CENTRAL DISTRICT: United Hatzalah search and rescue personnel and medical responders are continuing efforts to locate additional patients trapped following a direct missile impact in Tel Aviv. United Hatzalah drone unit is on scene operating specialized drones with thermal imaging to help locate trapped victims in the rubble. This is an ongoing situation, and further updates will be provided as verified information becomes available.

⚡️🇮🇱🇮🇷 Footage from yesterday's impacts in Tel-Aviv@wfwitness

⚡️🇮🇱🇮🇷Additional footage form Israel's Channel 14 broadcast shows the extensive damage at the impact site in Tel Aviv. Transcription: "I would like to begin by thanking you for inviting me to this difficult discussion, especially as it comes in the wake…

My heart is broken over the loss of Michelle (Mary]. She was more than a neighbor; she was a friend to me on our nightly walks. I will forever cherish the quiet moments we spent together, gathering kalamansi and moringa leaves and the way she helped me soothe my daughter to sleep. Her kindness and her brave, caring spirit will never be forgotten. Hindi n kita madadaan ni hubby mo n nag dadate sa kiryat sefer park. Wala ng Michelle na yayakap sa anak ko pag ddaan kmi sa park. You are wishing for a baby but you are now an angel! Fly high friendship! I am sorry for your loss, to your only one brother Mac, husband and to your family. Mac, ingat k din sa Qatar at pakatatag ka. Sa iyong hubby Ernie Lavarias, There are no words for such a tragic and sudden loss. Your wife was a light to everyone who knew her, and that light will never be forgotten. I am holding you close in my thoughts and sending you all the strength I have.

Mary Ann de Vera, 32, was identified by her husband, Ernie, who, like her, works as a caregiver in Israel. Two Israelis died while attempting to reach shelter during sirens on Sunday, including a 102-year-old man who tripped on his way to an emergency shelter. The Philippine Embassy in Israel identified the woman killed in an Iranian missile strike on Tel Aviv on Saturday as 32-year-old Mary Ann de Vera, according to a statement released on Sunday. A 32-year-old Filipino caregiver was killed Saturday in an Iranian missile strike on Tel Aviv, the Philippine Embassy in Israel said. Mary Ann de Vera, who worked as a caregiver, died after being hit by shrapnel while helping her employer reach a bomb shelter, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said. "They were unable to reach the bomb shelter in time," he said in a statement. Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said 25 people were evacuated from the impact site, including four in moderate condition and 16 with light injuries, among them seven children. De Vera was identified by her husband, Ernie, who is also a Filipino caregiver working in Israel. She is survived by her husband, her parents and a brother. A friend said that they called her Michelle and that she dreamed of being a mother. One of her friends paid tribute to her on Facebook: "My heart is broken over the loss of Michelle (Mary). She was more than a neighbor; she was a friend to me on our nightly walks. I will forever cherish the quiet moments we spent together, gathering kalamansi and moringa leaves and the way she helped me soothe my daughter to sleep. Her kindness and her brave, caring spirit will never be forgotten.""There are no words for such a tragic and sudden loss. Your wife was a light to everyone who knew her, and that light will never be forgotten. I am holding you close in my thoughts and sending you all the strength I have," her friend wrote. Two Israelis have died while attempting to reach shelter during sirens on Sunday, authorities reported. In Tel Aviv, 68-year-old Marina Belyav suffered shortness of breath while evacuating. Her daughter, Aya, told Haaretz that the two were crossing the street toward a shelter when her mother began to feel unwell. "At some point, I noticed that she was right behind me and I shouted to her, 'Mom, come quickly, please.' She told me that I would go ahead alone. After a few minutes, a neighbor told me that she was sitting on a bench and couldn't breathe. She was still alive when I got to her," Aya said. Separately, a 102-year-old man was pronounced dead at a Tel Aviv hospital after tripping on his way to an emergency shelter, hospital officials said. As a result of the attack that killed De Vera, forty buildings sustained varying degrees of damage, the city municipality said Sunday. More than 200 residents were evacuated from their homes to three hotels. According to the Israeli military, the impact in Tel Aviv was caused by an unintercepted Iranian missile, while a building in Ramat Gan was hit by a cluster bomb. Extensive damage was caused to buildings and vehicles at the scene, with several cars catching fire. The Tel Aviv Police District Commander said two buildings were directly hit. Dan District Fire and Rescue Chief said a large crater was formed in the road as a result of the impact, and a fire broke out in one of the buildings, leading to its partial collapse.

we will never be apart again ,MaryAnn DV i miss you I really can't do it anymore because I couldn't finish all the details because of the pain Thank you very much for the solid piece 10/10 by: Galaxy Ink Tattoo and Body Piercing Artist: Donald Tatuaxe Garcia

we will never be apart again ,MaryAnn DV i miss you Hindi ko na talaga kaya dahil don di ko na talaga natapos lahat ng detalye sa sobrang sakit Maraming salamat sa solid pyesa 10/10 by: Galaxy Ink Tattoo and Body Piercing Artist: Donald Tatuaxe Garcia

Mary Ann De Vera, known as Michelle, remained with the woman she cared for in their Tel Aviv apartment instead of going to a shelter. When a missile fired from Iran struck nearby, Rachel survived with a scratch on her forehead. Michelle was killed. Three families are now mourningGabi Shihor had a bad feeling about the building where her mother Rachel lived, on Yehuda Halevi Street in Tel Aviv. During the war with Iran in June, Rachel – who has limited mobility – had been sleeping in a nearby public shelter with her caregiver, Mary Ann De Vera, whom everyone called Michelle.This time, Gabi managed to find them a sublet with a safe room, but they had not yet moved in when the Iranian missile struck near their apartment late Saturday night. Rachel survived by a miracle. Michelle, 32, was killed."I told Michelle: when there's a siren, it's okay, go to the shelter in the building next door, especially if Mom is already in bed," Gabi said in an interview with Haaretz. When the siren sounded shortly after 10 P.M., Rachel was asleep in her bed, but Michelle did not leave. Instead, she went to the apartment's inner hallway – where she and Rachel sometimes sheltered during sirens – and continued a phone conversation with her husband, Ernie. The explosion cut the call short.Bar PelegVideo: Tomer Applebaum"My mom kept asking, 'Where's Michelle, where's Michelle,'" Gabi said. "At first I said she was in another hospital. I didn't know what to say. When I finally told my mother, she received it with a kind of strange calm. Only later did it sink in. Since then it comes in waves – suddenly it floods back and we both cry. I believe it's still a process."The state of IsraelHaaretz daily briefing: News & analysisGabi's eyes filled with tears. "I don't have enough words to describe her," she said. "The first time Michelle met my mother, my mom said to her: Why did you come to this country? It's a country of wars. Two months later, October 7 happened. She was with us for two and a half years, and from the first moment I couldn't believe how lucky we were. She's the best person I know. We became very close very quickly. I treated her like family.""We are all in mourning"Mary Ann De Vera had lived her entire life in Pangasinan province in the Philippines before arriving in Israel in 2019. She came to Be'er Sheva, to the home of Doris Gorin, 89, who had immigrated to Israel from New York that same year with a small dog named Wally.According to Doris' daughters, Barbara and Janice, their mother had been independent and did not want a caregiver. But worsening eyesight convinced them she needed help.Barbara vividly remembers Michelle's first meeting with their mother."When the door opened, she walked up and hugged her, and my mother hugged her back. I immediately knew she would be wonderful. They hugged for a long time. I felt the chemistry," she said. "They fell in love with each other, and she became like a surrogate granddaughter."During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Doris fell ill, Michelle was advised by the daughters and the caregiving agency to leave for a while."But she refused," Janice said. "She insisted on staying with her through six weeks of illness. She didn't leave her side."Michelle cared for Doris until she died in 2021. At the funeral, the daughters recalled, she said: "Goodbye until we meet again, and then I'll take care of you again."In recent days the sisters had been scanning news sites, and when they saw that no one was telling Michelle's story, they decided to approach the media themselves."In the news they only write that a Filipina was killed, and we wanted to say – she wasn't just a caregiver, she was a very special soul and a wonderful person. We want her to be given respect," Barbara said. "We're shaken by the news of her death; it's hard for us to process. We're all in mourning."A day after the missile strike, Rachel – who was lightly injured – was discharged from the hospital to a hotel. Her home had become a heap of rubble.The blast waves were felt hundreds of meters away, though the military said the explosion itself was not unusually strong. According to a senior officer who worked at the scene, the extensive damage occurred because the missile struck the road, as had happened during the previous war in Ramat Gan and the Ramat Aviv neighborhood of Tel Aviv."In a direct hit, the structure absorbs most of the blast," he explained. "Here it was swallowed into the ground but also spread across more buildings."At the time of the strike the building was empty of residents, who had evacuated to protected spaces – except for Rachel and Michelle."An elderly population can't get down to shelters, even when there's advance warning," the officer said, noting that he had worked at many impact sites in central Israel over the past year.The strike immediately caused part of the building to collapse. The entire right side, including Rachel's apartment, began to give way, exposing the stairwell. According to several professionals, the fact that Michelle was standing while Rachel was lying in bed may also have proved fatal in that moment.On Rachel Shihor's forehead – she is a former philosophy lecturer at a university and the author of five books, two of them works of prose – is a scratch, a souvenir from the ceiling that collapsed onto her.From the hotel where she was relocated after leaving the hospital, she described calmly and in measured words the time she spent trapped under the rubble. A sentence she had once read in a book by Simone de Beauvoir returned to her in those moments."I'm no longer afraid of death. I thought about that sentence," she said."The ceiling was on top of me. I was inside a kind of pocket. At first I thought, this can't be happening, but there was a crack and I saw that there was air. Through it I could even see my wardrobe."When she felt the ceiling pressing on her forehead, Rachel said she managed to wedge a book between her forehead and the concrete. She searched for Michelle and tried to call out to her, but had no voice. The bond between them had been close and deep."We had imaginary comic characters, as if we were living inside literature. She entered the world of my books," Rachel said, also recalling Michelle's fondness for the Filipino television series she watched.Demolition in record timeTwo large Ficus trees had stood in front of the old building on Yehuda Halevi Street. When it was built in the 1930s, no one had thought about designing shelters, let alone reinforced safe rooms inside apartments.The missile strike left only the charred trunks of the once-enormous trees.The municipality decided to demolish the building immediately.That afternoon Ernie, Michelle's husband, arrived at the site. He also works in a home in the neighborhood. With him came two of Michelle's friends, a representative of an organization assisting Filipinos in Israel, a representative from the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, and a man named Bentzi, who had never met Michelle."She cared for my father for a few weeks when his regular caregiver traveled abroad, and he became very attached to her, and to Ernie," he said.Ernie and those accompanying him searched for a purple backpack where, they said, Michelle kept all her important belongings – money, jewelry, passports and documents.All day long tractors came and went, loading rubble from the building onto trucks – an entire world and lifetime that would be taken to the so-called Triangle area of Arab towns in central Israel and crushed.Hours passed without anyone helping Michelle's relatives even stand nearby and look over the rubble in the hope of finding something.Eventually, a tweet requesting help on X prompted two deputy mayors to intervene and demand assistance for the widower, who stood stunned, tears in his eyes, facing the destruction. Only then was one suitcase found buried in the rubble, containing Michelle's clothes. Later a small waist pouch was also located. The purple backpack disappeared – perhaps forever.It is hard not to think that if they had been told to come earlier, something more might have been saved: a memory of the woman who had been there.מזוודה אחת אותרה וחולצה רגע לפני שכף השופל ירדה עליה. ממש כך עכשיו גם איתרו בהריסות מה שהיה פעם חדרה עוד פאוצ' ואולי יש עוד מזל שהיו מי שקראו את הציוץ הזה והקריאה לעזרה וסייעו תודה רבה לאסף זמיר, מיטל להבי וגם לג'וי מסל"ע ולליקו ממחלקת מבצעים שסייעו ובעיקר לא התעלמו מהםShow moreבאתר ההרס בתל אביב ניסו כל הבוקר דיירים מהבניין לאסוף את מה שנותר מהציוד שלהם. העירייה החליטה להרוס את הבניין בשל סכנה בטיחותית בו, הדיירים ביקשו לנבור בהריסות. חלק קיבלו אישור, אחרים לא. עכשיו האלמן וחברות של מישל שנהרגה הגיעו לחפש בייאוש חפצים יקרי ערך שלה ולא מאפשרים להם.Michelle Mary Ann De Vera – who could have left Rachel but chose to stay by her side – is the tenth caregiver killed since October 7 while staying with the person she was caring for. In several cases, the patients themselves were also murdered.The Tel Aviv municipality said in response: "This building was directly damaged by the blast from a missile strike. The force of the impact caused significant structural damage to the building's frame, creating an immediate risk of collapse. According to the determination of the city engineer and professional officials at the scene, any entry into the building posed a real danger to life and risk to nearby structures. Therefore, after many consultations among all professional bodies, it was decided to complete the demolition of the building without the possibility of removing equipment or personal belongings from the apartments, in order to prevent serious risk to human life."

Mary Ann De Vera, known as Michelle, remained with the woman she cared for in their Tel Aviv apartment instead of going to a shelter. When a missile fired from Iran struck nearby, Rachel survived with a scratch on her forehead. Michelle was killed. Three families are now mourningGabi Shihor had a bad feeling about the building where her mother Rachel lived, on Yehuda Halevi Street in Tel Aviv. During the war with Iran in June, Rachel – who has limited mobility – had been sleeping in a nearby public shelter with her caregiver, Mary Ann De Vera, whom everyone called Michelle.This time, Gabi managed to find them a sublet with a safe room, but they had not yet moved in when the Iranian missile struck near their apartment late Saturday night. Rachel survived by a miracle. Michelle, 32, was killed."I told Michelle: when there's a siren, it's okay, go to the shelter in the building next door, especially if Mom is already in bed," Gabi said in an interview with Haaretz. When the siren sounded shortly after 10 P.M., Rachel was asleep in her bed, but Michelle did not leave. Instead, she went to the apartment's inner hallway – where she and Rachel sometimes sheltered during sirens – and continued a phone conversation with her husband, Ernie. The explosion cut the call short.Bar PelegVideo: Tomer Applebaum"My mom kept asking, 'Where's Michelle, where's Michelle,'" Gabi said. "At first I said she was in another hospital. I didn't know what to say. When I finally told my mother, she received it with a kind of strange calm. Only later did it sink in. Since then it comes in waves – suddenly it floods back and we both cry. I believe it's still a process."The state of IsraelHaaretz daily briefing: News & analysisGabi's eyes filled with tears. "I don't have enough words to describe her," she said. "The first time Michelle met my mother, my mom said to her: Why did you come to this country? It's a country of wars. Two months later, October 7 happened. She was with us for two and a half years, and from the first moment I couldn't believe how lucky we were. She's the best person I know. We became very close very quickly. I treated her like family.""We are all in mourning"Mary Ann De Vera had lived her entire life in Pangasinan province in the Philippines before arriving in Israel in 2019. She came to Be'er Sheva, to the home of Doris Gorin, 89, who had immigrated to Israel from New York that same year with a small dog named Wally.According to Doris' daughters, Barbara and Janice, their mother had been independent and did not want a caregiver. But worsening eyesight convinced them she needed help.Barbara vividly remembers Michelle's first meeting with their mother."When the door opened, she walked up and hugged her, and my mother hugged her back. I immediately knew she would be wonderful. They hugged for a long time. I felt the chemistry," she said. "They fell in love with each other, and she became like a surrogate granddaughter."During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Doris fell ill, Michelle was advised by the daughters and the caregiving agency to leave for a while."But she refused," Janice said. "She insisted on staying with her through six weeks of illness. She didn't leave her side."Michelle cared for Doris until she died in 2021. At the funeral, the daughters recalled, she said: "Goodbye until we meet again, and then I'll take care of you again."In recent days the sisters had been scanning news sites, and when they saw that no one was telling Michelle's story, they decided to approach the media themselves."In the news they only write that a Filipina was killed, and we wanted to say – she wasn't just a caregiver, she was a very special soul and a wonderful person. We want her to be given respect," Barbara said. "We're shaken by the news of her death; it's hard for us to process. We're all in mourning."A day after the missile strike, Rachel – who was lightly injured – was discharged from the hospital to a hotel. Her home had become a heap of rubble.The blast waves were felt hundreds of meters away, though the military said the explosion itself was not unusually strong. According to a senior officer who worked at the scene, the extensive damage occurred because the missile struck the road, as had happened during the previous war in Ramat Gan and the Ramat Aviv neighborhood of Tel Aviv."In a direct hit, the structure absorbs most of the blast," he explained. "Here it was swallowed into the ground but also spread across more buildings."At the time of the strike the building was empty of residents, who had evacuated to protected spaces – except for Rachel and Michelle."An elderly population can't get down to shelters, even when there's advance warning," the officer said, noting that he had worked at many impact sites in central Israel over the past year.The strike immediately caused part of the building to collapse. The entire right side, including Rachel's apartment, began to give way, exposing the stairwell. According to several professionals, the fact that Michelle was standing while Rachel was lying in bed may also have proved fatal in that moment.On Rachel Shihor's forehead – she is a former philosophy lecturer at a university and the author of five books, two of them works of prose – is a scratch, a souvenir from the ceiling that collapsed onto her.From the hotel where she was relocated after leaving the hospital, she described calmly and in measured words the time she spent trapped under the rubble. A sentence she had once read in a book by Simone de Beauvoir returned to her in those moments."I'm no longer afraid of death. I thought about that sentence," she said."The ceiling was on top of me. I was inside a kind of pocket. At first I thought, this can't be happening, but there was a crack and I saw that there was air. Through it I could even see my wardrobe."When she felt the ceiling pressing on her forehead, Rachel said she managed to wedge a book between her forehead and the concrete. She searched for Michelle and tried to call out to her, but had no voice. The bond between them had been close and deep."We had imaginary comic characters, as if we were living inside literature. She entered the world of my books," Rachel said, also recalling Michelle's fondness for the Filipino television series she watched.Demolition in record timeTwo large Ficus trees had stood in front of the old building on Yehuda Halevi Street. When it was built in the 1930s, no one had thought about designing shelters, let alone reinforced safe rooms inside apartments.The missile strike left only the charred trunks of the once-enormous trees.The municipality decided to demolish the building immediately.That afternoon Ernie, Michelle's husband, arrived at the site. He also works in a home in the neighborhood. With him came two of Michelle's friends, a representative of an organization assisting Filipinos in Israel, a representative from the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, and a man named Bentzi, who had never met Michelle."She cared for my father for a few weeks when his regular caregiver traveled abroad, and he became very attached to her, and to Ernie," he said.Ernie and those accompanying him searched for a purple backpack where, they said, Michelle kept all her important belongings – money, jewelry, passports and documents.All day long tractors came and went, loading rubble from the building onto trucks – an entire world and lifetime that would be taken to the so-called Triangle area of Arab towns in central Israel and crushed.Hours passed without anyone helping Michelle's relatives even stand nearby and look over the rubble in the hope of finding something.Eventually, a tweet requesting help on X prompted two deputy mayors to intervene and demand assistance for the widower, who stood stunned, tears in his eyes, facing the destruction. Only then was one suitcase found buried in the rubble, containing Michelle's clothes. Later a small waist pouch was also located. The purple backpack disappeared – perhaps forever.It is hard not to think that if they had been told to come earlier, something more might have been saved: a memory of the woman who had been there.מזוודה אחת אותרה וחולצה רגע לפני שכף השופל ירדה עליה. ממש כך עכשיו גם איתרו בהריסות מה שהיה פעם חדרה עוד פאוצ' ואולי יש עוד מזל שהיו מי שקראו את הציוץ הזה והקריאה לעזרה וסייעו תודה רבה לאסף זמיר, מיטל להבי וגם לג'וי מסל"ע ולליקו ממחלקת מבצעים שסייעו ובעיקר לא התעלמו מהםShow moreבאתר ההרס בתל אביב ניסו כל הבוקר דיירים מהבניין לאסוף את מה שנותר מהציוד שלהם. העירייה החליטה להרוס את הבניין בשל סכנה בטיחותית בו, הדיירים ביקשו לנבור בהריסות. חלק קיבלו אישור, אחרים לא. עכשיו האלמן וחברות של מישל שנהרגה הגיעו לחפש בייאוש חפצים יקרי ערך שלה ולא מאפשרים להם.Michelle Mary Ann De Vera – who could have left Rachel but chose to stay by her side – is the tenth caregiver killed since October 7 while staying with the person she was caring for. In several cases, the patients themselves were also murdered.The Tel Aviv municipality said in response: "This building was directly damaged by the blast from a missile strike. The force of the impact caused significant structural damage to the building's frame, creating an immediate risk of collapse. According to the determination of the city engineer and professional officials at the scene, any entry into the building posed a real danger to life and risk to nearby structures. Therefore, after many consultations among all professional bodies, it was decided to complete the demolition of the building without the possibility of removing equipment or personal belongings from the apartments, in order to prevent serious risk to human life."

Sirens warning of Iranian missiles blare out so frequently that Joycee Pelayo, a Filipino living near to Tel Aviv, doesn’t leave the house any more. Each time an alert sounds, she rushes to help the older man she cares for, supporting him into a wheelchair, then down the steps into a nearby shelter.“Last night, there were three alerts. We received it at about 2am, in the middle of the night, and then 3am, and then 4am,” says Pelayo.She is among 2.4 million Filipinos living across the Middle East, who moved in pursuit of higher wages and a chance to give a better life to families back home, but now find themselves living with a daily barrage of drone and missile strikes.The war that has erupted between the US, Israel and Iran, engulfing the region, has already proved deadly to Filipinos workers abroad. On 28 February, 32-year-old Mary Ann De Vera, a Filipino working as a carer, became the first casualty of the conflict in Israel. She was killed in Tel Aviv after being hit by shrapnel while escorting her employer, an older woman, to a shelter. Her employer survived.Migrant workers have repeatedly found themselves in the frontlines of recent conflict in Israel. Thai nationals, who help power Israel’s agricultural industry, accounted for the highest number foreign victims of the Hamas attacks in October 2023. At least 47 Thais were killed, while 28 Thai hostages were eventually released. Four Filipinos were also killed in the Hamas attack.The Middle East is one of the main destinations for Filipinos who work abroad, and the salaries offered in the region – in jobs ranging from domestic work and healthcare, to construction and engineering – can be many times higher those available back home. In the Philippines, those who go abroad to work are praised by politicians as modern day heroes, because of the tens of billions of dollars they remit home every year.But such work comes at a high personal cost. They endure long periods away from children and partners, and can be vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, especially in countries with a kafala (sponsorship) system, where workers are heavily dependent on their employers.Over recent years, pressures have increased pressures further, with workers facing instability through the pandemic, and, for the 31,000 Filipinos based in Israel, repeated bouts of conflict.Some are now weighing up whether to try to return home – questioning if the crisis could intensify further, and how relatives who rely upon their salaries would manage if they did return. However airspace closures and restrictions mean those who want to go home have very limited options.Robert Laurince Ramil, moved to Qatar seven months ago to work in the mechanical department of a gas plant. Of the six men in his dorm room, four of them, including Ramil, want to leave. “We can find work anywhere, but your safety and life are more important,” he says.Staff are staying in their dormitories 24/7, and leaving only to eat at an on-site canteen, he says. He spends his time following news updates and speaking to family members, including his wife and two sons, back home. The daily blasts are so loud the floor shakes. Work for now has been cancelled, though the workers are still being paid.Others though say they feel safe. Salhee Enriquez, 48, a carer in Tel Aviv, says life has continued as normal. “Every establishment has their own bomb shelter,” she says, adding that after years of conflict, people have become used to the situation.She cares for a woman with dementia, but was told by the woman’s daughter to prioritise her own safety in the event of a siren. “She said, you have a family, they are waiting for you, you are young, so go and save your life first.”Enriquez’s family in the Philippines calls her constantly, waking her in the night to check she is OK, and asking her to return. She is a single parent who moved abroad to support her daughter. “If I go home, we don’t have enough money to provide for us,” she says.Besides, she tells relatives, the airport is closed.Campaigners in the Philippines have frequently called on the government to create better job opportunities at home, so that people aren’t forced to go overseas.Pelayo’s daughter was only two years old when she moved away, but in Israel she earns 10 times more than the pay she received in her past job. High air fares and fears about leaving her employer in the lurch, meant six years passed before she was able to fly home for a holiday to see her daughter again.“Of course I want to go home and be with my family,” adds Pelayo. “But there is no job that will [match] my salary here. It’s a big difference.”“My daughter now is asking me – because they heard about what’s happening, they saw the news in the Philippines – she’s asking me mama why you don’t go home,” says Pelayo. “[I asked her] pray for me.”

By Joyce Ann L. RocamoraMarch 3, 2026, 6:15 pm MANILA – The family of Mary Ann de Vera, the Filipino caregiver who died following Iran’s retaliation, will receive support from the Israeli government.Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh made the assurance during a press engagement in Taguig City on Tuesday.“I can guarantee that the government of Israel will hug this family and will provide everything necessary to provide as much comfort to this family as possible,” she said.Under Israeli law, Kursh said any person hurt by either war or a terrorist attack, be it an Israeli or foreigner, would be provided with an assistance package. In case of death, the surviving kin will receive livelihood support.“Mary Ann will be provided this benefit as well. It will not bring back Mary Ann, it will not take away the pain from the family, from the husband and the rest of the family, but it will try to ease at least a bit the day-to-day handlings,” she said.Kursh said Israel is also willing to provide necessary assistance for the repatriation of De Vera’s remains once Israel’s airspace fully reopens.De Vera was accompanying her elderly ward to a shelter in Tel Aviv when she was hit by a shrapnel from a retaliatory Iranian missile strike after the US and Israel launched a joint military operation on Tehran on Saturday.She was the fifth Filipino national to be killed in Israel since October 2023, when the Jewish state was attacked by Hamas terrorists. (PNA)Comments

The Provincial Government of Pangasinan, led by Governor Ramon V. Guico III, expressed its deepest condolences to the family of Mary Ann De Vera, the overseas Filipino worker, who died a hero’s death in Israel. Mary Ann, 32, a resident of Basista, Pangasinan, was killed on February 28, 2026, during a missile strike in Tel Aviv, Israel. Reports state that she died while selflessly protecting her 90-year-old patient as they attempted to evacuate to the nearest bomb shelter. Governor Guico personally visited Mary Ann’s family on March 4, 2026, to provide financial aid and offer other support needed. He lauded Mary Ann’s extraordinary bravery. “Your departure, your flight to another country and leaving your loved ones behind is already heroic. But what you did not leave your elderly loved one behind is remarkable,” said Governor Guico. The provincial government recognizes Mary Ann's sacrifice as it embodies the compassion, dedication, and selflessness of the entire global OFW community. To ensure her family's welfare, the provincial government is also closely coordinating with various agencies, including the Pangasinan Provincial Employment Services Office, the Department of Migrant Workers Region 1, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Office Region 1, and the Local Government Unit of Basista. Aside from the immediate financial assistance and coordination, Governor Guico has committed to providing Mary Ann's husband, Bernie, with employment opportunities if he chooses to stay in the Philippines permanently. Meanwhile, Department of Migrant Workers Region 1 Regional Director Christian Rey Sison assured the family that preparations for Mary Ann's repatriation are in full swing, while the airspace remains closed. In a phone call with the Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines, Danna Kursh, the ambassador affirmed that they are also closely coordinating with the Israeli authorities and the Philippine government for further assistance. Governor Guico urged other Pangasinenses and Filipinos remaining in Israel to stay safe and vigilant. “Let us pray and whatever instructions the Israeli government gives us, we will follow them because they know their protocols,” he said. (Eira Gorospe, photo by JP De Vera | PIMRO)

The Provincial Government of Pangasinan, led by Governor Ramon V. Guico III, expressed its deepest condolences to the family of Mary Ann De Vera, the overseas Filipino worker, who died a hero’s death in Israel. Mary Ann, 32, a resident of Basista, Pangasinan, was killed on February 28, 2026, during a missile strike in Tel Aviv, Israel. Reports state that she died while selflessly protecting her 90-year-old patient as they attempted to evacuate to the nearest bomb shelter. Governor Guico personally visited Mary Ann’s family on March 4, 2026, to provide financial aid and offer other support needed. He lauded Mary Ann’s extraordinary bravery. “Iyong pag-alis mo, pakikipagsalaparan sa ibang bansa at iwanan sa iyong mga mahal sa buhay ay isang kabayanihan na po iyon. Pero iyong ginawa niya na hindi iniwan ang kanyang inaalagan na elderly person ay kahanga-hanga po,” said Governor Guico. The provincial government recognizes Mary Ann’s sacrifice as it embodies the compassion, dedication, and selflessness of the whole global OFW community. To ensure her family’s welfare, the provincial government is also closely coordinating with various agencies, including the Pangasinan Provincial Employment Services Office, the Department of Migrant Workers Region 1, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Office Region 1, and the Local Government Unit of Basista. Aside from the immediate financial assistance and coordination, Governor Guico has committed to providing Mary Ann’s husband, Bernie, with employment opportunities if he chooses to stay in the Philippines permanently. Meanwhile, Department of Migrant Workers Region 1 Regional Director Christian Rey Sison assured the family that preparations for Mary Ann’s repatriation are in full swing, while the airspace remains closed. In a phone call with the Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines, Danna Kursh, the ambassador affirmed that they are also closely coordinating with the Israeli authorities and the Philippine government for further assistance. Governor Guico urged other Pangasinenses and Filipinos remaining in Israel to stay safe and vigilant. “Magdasal po tayo at kung ano man po ang instructions ng Israeli government ay sumunod po tayo kasi alam nila ang mga protocols po nila,” he said. (Eira Gorospe, photo by JP De Vera | PIMRO)