"When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers." The truth of this popular African proverb is starkly illustrated by the mass suffering in Gaza right now following the October 7, 2023 attack by the terrorist group Hamas against Israel. The latter's superior war machine has since been relentless in its goal of obliterating Hamas; civilians, infrastructures and the Gazan way of life be damned.

In this backdrop of unending war, Filipinos who resided in Gaza and married Palestinians had to flee. With the help of the Philippine Embassy in Jordan, under stressful circumstances, many of them chose to return to the Philippines with their families in tow.

This week, we have an exclusive and extensive report by veteran journalist Chupsie Medina who visited a new community now called "Little Gaza" in Quezon City. There the Gaza refugees have organized themselves informally but effectively.

Chupsie was able to talk to some of the more vocal community members, saw how they lived, and heard their stories about their escape from war, what they perceived as a re-victimization by Philippine groups who collected money on their behalf but didn't share the collection with them, and how they see their future.

Poignant, heartbreaking but ultimately a triumph of the human spirit. That's what our story, "Leaving Gaza" is all about.

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What does the election results in the US say about Asian-American voters? University of San Francisco professor James Zarsadiaz dissects the outcome.

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Once upon a time, a Fil-Am psychologist dreamt of his Ilocano great grandfather who he never met. This ancestor who lived in the early years of the 20th century had hand-written stories of his life and times in a cuaderno (notebook), which was handed down through generations. Alvin B. Gaerlan, the great grandson, has since published the contents of the cuaderno into a book or two. Read about how this cuaderno took a life of its own in “My Great-Grandfather’s Memoir: From Notebook to Book”

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Our Partner post this week is from the National Federation of Fil-Am Associations (NaFFAA) which lists the Fil-Am winners of this year's elections.

Video of the Week: Nostalgic Filipino Cookies

In The Know

Undocumented Filipinos urged to return home
https://asamnews.com/2024/11/09/undocumented-filipinos-us-repatriation-advisory/

Museum spotlights rich Filipino Farm Center history
https://stocktonrecord-ca.newsmemory.com/

Ex-Philippine President confirms existence of personal ‘death squad’
https://asamnews.com/2024/11/06/rodrigo-duterte-death-squad-drugs-crime-crackdown/?jetpack_skip_subscription_popup