Filipino former hostage names daughter Israela

Jimmy (Galinor) Pacheco and his wife, Clarice, are celebrating the arrival of their fourth child, 20 months after his release from Hamas captivity in November 2023.

Pacheco, who endured 49 days in the Gaza Strip, and his wife named their daughter Israela as a heartfelt tribute to the people and State of Israel.

Pacheco, a Filipino caregiver, was 33 years old when Hamas terrorists violently abducted him from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023—the same day that Amitai Ben Tzvi, the elderly Israeli under his care, was brutally murdered.

Pacheco was transported to Gaza alongside Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon, and they shared confinement in Hamas tunnel systems throughout the Strip.

“During those two weeks, I remained in a cramped room with Yarden and Ofer,” he shared. “An extraordinary bond developed among us. When I wept, they comforted me and assured me that the Israeli government would provide assistance. We sang together, shared laughter, and I even taught Yarden some Filipino.”

Israel has been intensifying its efforts to secure the return of all hostages held by Hamas, including foreign nationals. Of the 50 hostages still in captivity, both living and dead, four are foreign citizens—two of them Thai nationals. In recent negotiations, 28 Thai hostages were freed, while the remains of one Thai were recovered during a special operation.

At a recent meeting in Jerusalem with Thailand’s new ambassador to Israel, Gal Hirsch, Israel’s Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, emphasized Israel’s ongoing commitment to this cause. He also outlined the support systems in place for the families of current hostages and those who have been released, highlighting the government’s continuing determination to bring all hostages home.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.