"My second family": Widow of man murdered in Be'eri will be allowed to enter Israel
Jovel's husband, Paul, was murdered in a kibbutz in the Gaza envelope alongside Evyatar Kipnis, whom he cared for as a caregiver. Jovel was initially forbidden from attending his son's wedding with her toddler, but the Population and Immigration Authority has now agreed to allow them to visit the country on the condition of depositing a 100,000 shekel bond for each, with a pre-set departure date.
Paul Vincent Castalby (42) was murdered by Hamas terrorists in the October 7 massacre in Be'eri, where he worked as a caregiver for kibbutz resident Evyatar Kipnis (of blessed memory).
His wife, Jovel Santiago Castalby, was forbidden two weeks ago from arriving with her toddler son for the wedding of Kipnis's son, Nadav. However, after an appeal to the court, the Population and Immigration Authority agreed to allow them to arrive in Israel from the Philippines in exchange for depositing a bond of 100,000 shekels for each. The court order emphasized that the "fixed and binding departure date" for Jovel and her son is September 16.
During the massacre, Jovel, who was nine months pregnant, hid in a safe room in Kibbutz Or HaNer, where she also worked as a caregiver. Jovel survived the massacre but lost her husband, who remained alongside Evyatar and his wife Lilach, who were also murdered. Nadav's partner, Sharon, became pregnant after the massacre, and a special bond was formed between them and Jovel.
"A few days after October 7, she called me when Paul's body was identified," Sharon said. "She was in her ninth month and gave birth to their son on November 3. She gave birth without an epidural and told me that she had already experienced the greatest pain of her life, the loss of her husband. All the baby equipment was on the top floor in Be'eri and everything burned. Nothing remained — no crib, no stroller. And precisely after October 7, on the day our loved ones died together, our fate and our story became even more intertwined."
In Israel, Jovel was recognized as the widow of a victim of hostilities, and she subsequently left Israel with her baby son Jayson Paul. The Population and Immigration Authority had refused to let her return, given her request to move to Israel permanently. Sharon noted that "after she flew to the Philippines, she returned to the country to keep her work visa, but it was hard for her without Jayson, who stayed with her family. Last November, she filed a request for a residence permit and recognition as a victim of hostilities. Many of the rights due to her can only be realized while physically in the country. In the Philippines, they don't understand what she went through. Here in Israel, they understand her."
Jovel shared: "It is important for us to participate in Nadav and Sharon's wedding. On October 7, they became my second family. After Paul was murdered, I had someone to lean on. The wonderful Kipnis family helped me in the hospital after the birth. Even though Nadav lost his parents, he supported me 100%. I don't know how to explain how important this is."
After Jovel was approved to come to the wedding, Sharon stated: "We are very happy with the decision. They are an inseparable part of our joy. We hope that in the future, the State of Israel will continue to support them as a widow and orphan of victims of hostilities and will not forget the great commitment they have to these people who lost everything dear to them."
