Consul Mote Cohen paid his respects at the mourning village gathering for Leah Mosquera, a caregiver from Negros and a casualty of an Iranian missile in Israel on June 15, 2025. An Israeli diplomat stated that, just like Israeli citizens, foreign nationals hit by missile strikes, or any terror act, are entitled to the same benefits. The day after her 50th birthday, Leah’s remembrance was distinguished by an official visit from an Israeli envoy, who paid homage to a caregiver taken away too soon in a distant land, by the throes of a conflict that was not hers.
Leah Mosquera, originally from a peaceful agricultural settlement in Barangay Guinturilan, San Enrique, Negros Occidental, was an unfortunate victim of a 12-day violent dispute between Israel and Iran. On a fateful day of June, a devastating missile wreaked havoc on her rental accommodation in Rehovot, located South of Tel Aviv. A coma overtook her swiftly, snatching away any hope of her regaining consciousness. Leah passed away in a hospital on the 13th of July, just a fortnight shy of her 50th birthday that was supposed to be celebrated on June 29.
The day following what should have been Leah’s 50th birthday, Consul Mote Cohen, a representative of the Israeli embassy in Manila, undertook a journey to the bereaved family’s residence. He carried not just words of sympathy but also a message indicating the importance of Leah’s existence, and her unfortunate demise, in the eyes of Israel’s government. Cohen firmly reiterated that a non-resident attacked by any terror operation or missile has equal entitlement to benefits granted to Israeli citizens, while abstaining from revealing any numerical specifics.
Locally addressed as ‘Yumo,’ Leah was caught in the debris when the missile hit her living quarters. The coma incapacitated her, and she breathed her last on the 13th of July in a hospital in Rehovot, around a month post the dreadful incident. Leah’s mortal remains were ferried back from Israel on the 24th of July, accompanied by her younger sibling, Mae Joy, who continues to work as a caregiver in Israel. The Israeli government bore the cost of Mae Joy’s journey.
Comfort came to the Mosquera family in the form of Cohen’s visit, affirming that Leah’s 18 years of service in Israel had not faded into oblivion. Alongside Israel’s commitment, additional monetary assistance equaling P190,000 was extended to the Mosquera family by the provincial authorities of Negros Occidental, giving a helping hand in difficult times. The local San Enrique administration also offered resources to the Mosqueras, a well-established farming family in the community.
When meeting with Lacson in Bacolod City, Cohen provided assurance that life had returned to its normal pace in Israel following the 12-day tumultuous episode with Iran, and that Filipino workers in Israel were safeguarded. An estimated count of 30,000 Filipinos are employed in Israel, predominantly as caregivers, among which over 200 are from Leah’s homeland, Negros Occidental.
Cohen voiced remorse over the unfortunate chain of events, outlining that Israel’s principal targets were Iranian military entities, whereas Iran had aimed their weapons at civilian regions. He confirmed 30 casualties during the battle, including Mosquera, a Ukrainian national, and 28 Israelis.
The post Mourning Over Casualty of Iranian Strike: Leah Mosquera’s Story appeared first on Real News Now.
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