Malacañang condemns attacks in Israel

The Philippine government has condemned the recent attacks in Israel and expressed concern for the safety and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the country, Malacañang said on Sunday.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the Office of the President said that the Philippines "(conveyed) its deepest sympathies and condolences to those who have lost family members and loved ones in recent attacks."

"The Philippines condemns the attacks, especially against civilian populations," the statement read.

"The Philippines understands the right of states to self-defense in the light of external aggression as recognized in the United Nations Charter," it added.

In a separate statement, the Presidential Communications Office said that the government is closely coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Israel to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipinos affected in the ongoing conflict.

"The President has also ordered the DMW and the OWWA to provide assistance to Filipinos who may be affected by the conflict," the statement said.

The DMW has opened a hotline and several Viber and WhatsApp hotline numbers that will accept calls and queries from OFWs and the Filipino community who are in need of government assistance.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that there have been no reports of Filipino casualties in Israel due to Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' surprise attack in the Gaza Strip during a major Jewish holiday last Saturday.

In a radio interview, DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said that most of the 30,000 Filipinos living in Israel are not living in the southern region, near the Gaza Strip.

"The situation, according to our embassy — they are in touch with the Filipinos — so far … there is no news of casualties," de Vega said.

"Most Filipinos are domestic workers or caregivers and are in Tel Aviv, Haifa. They are about 70 km away from the Gaza Strip, so it's not the exact area that was attacked. However, there have been a few missiles hitting nearby, so that's also being monitored," he added.

While many Filipinos are concerned about the events, de Vega said they are all adhering to the directives of the governments of Israel and the Philippines to remain at home and close to bomb shelters. Every structure in Israel has a bomb bunker.