PH vows to stand with Israel: Marcos

MANILA (UPDATE)— President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. condemned Wednesday the terror attacks in Israel following the deaths of 2 Filipinos there amid the ongoing armed conflict between the country and Hamas militants.

“My heart is heavy upon hearing confirmation of the deaths of two Filipinos in Israel. The Philippines condemns these killings and stands firmly against the ongoing terror and violence,” Marcos, Jr. said in a statement.

• Two Filipinos killed in Israel: DFA

Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss condoled with the families of the victims. He also thanked the overseas Filipino workers staying in Israel.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the families but also to express our gratitude to those 6 Filipinos and generally to the OFWs in Israel who are there staying with our families, with the elderly people," Fluss said in an interview on ANC.

"Even in the time of this emergency, the Filipinos are not requesting to be evacuated from Israel," he added.

The envoy said the Hamas militants continue to enter Israel mostly in the southern part of the country to "kill Israelis," noting that this was war.

He also blasted the terror organization for its actions and for using civilians as "human shields."

"The border with Gaza has been bombed... It is a war situation. There is no discussion with Hamas which is holding 150 plus captives. People have been kidnapped from Israel... No humanitarian gestures," he said.

Philippines to stand with Israel, says Marcos

In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Marcos met Fluss at Malacañang to talk about the situation in Israel.

Marcos, PCO said, was concerned about the 3 Filipinos still unaccounted for. The Philippine Embassy in Israel earlier said that another Pinoy was feared dead because of the armed conflict. Authorities were still waiting on the result of the DNA test.

"The Ambassador assured the President that Israel is doing all it can to ensure the safety of our nationals," the PCO said.

"The President assured Amb. Fluss that the Philippines will always stand with Israel in this war against the inhuman terrorist attacks by Hamas," it added.

The DFA and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), for its part, said it would not identify the victims as per their families' request.

It vowed to work closely with the Philippine Embassy in Tel-Aviv, Amman, Jordan, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to repatriate the victims' remains.

"Handa rin ang inyong Tahanan ng OFW na tulungan ang mga naiwang kamag-anak sa pagproseso at pagtanggap ng anumang tulong at benepisyo na nararapat sa kanila," the DMW said.

There are some 30,000 Filipinos in Israel, and 137 others in the Gaza strip.

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Malacañang said the Philippine government would continue in its pursuit for "lasting peace in line with the United Nations resolutions and international laws."

The government will also give support and aid to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the Filipino community in Israel affected by the armed conflict.

The death toll in Israel has surged above 900 from the worst attack in the country's 75-year history, while Gaza officials reported 900 people killed so far, and Israel's army said the bodies of roughly 1,500 militants had been found.

International NGOs issued a stark warning over the health and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

— with a report from Agence France-Presse

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