No way in and no way out, no water and no electricity. This is how Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega describes the current situation in the Gaza Strip after Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes against Hamas targets after the militants' surprise Saturday attack.

"Sa Gaza, walang makalabas, walang makapasok," De Vega said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

More than 338,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations said, as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave.

The DFA official said the Philippine government is asking diplomatic contacts to allow 70 Filipinos in Gaza seeking repatriation to leave the territory. He clarified there is no mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in Israel as many OFWs opt to stay in the Jewish nation.

• 70 Filipinos in Gaza asking for repatriation: DFA

He also urged Filipinos to avoid known Hamas enclaves.

"Sumunod sa mga naririnig na wag silang pumunta sa kinikilalang amas infrastructure kasi 'yun ang titirahin ng Israel," he said.

At least 2 Filipinos have been killed after hundreds of Hamas militants attacked Israel from around 6:30 am (0330 GMT) on Saturday, the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, in an assault that came 50 years and a day after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

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