War vs. brutal specter of terrorism

It is now that we must beckon our allies to stand united in steadfast commitment to the rule of law and the inviolable rights of every human being

In the quiet of dawn, as the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah was being celebrated, Southern Israel was suddenly plunged into chaos.

An unexpected onslaught was unleashed by Hamas terrorist forces. They showed no mercy, slaughtering every human in their path and abducting hostages to be used as human shields.

In response to this horrific act, Israel has declared war against Hamas.

Thousands have died in the escalating hostilities.

As of this writing, a ground invasion of the Northern region of the Gaza Strip seems imminent following order of Israel military forces for civilians to evacuate to the South.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has firmly declared the Philippines stands with Israel amidst the ongoing “terrorist attacks” by Hamas.

This strong statement was made during his meeting with Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss at Malacañang.

He expressed his deep appreciation to the Israeli government for their swift action in rescuing over 20 Filipinos and ensuring their safety.

However, he also voiced his worry for the three Filipinos who are still missing. Ambassador Fluss reassured him Israel is doing everything possible to safeguard all Filipinos in the conflict-ridden country.

Sadly, the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that two Filipinos have lost their lives in the escalating conflict. According to government data, there are about 30,000 Filipinos living and working mostly in northern Israel.

The Stratbase ADR Institute in a released statement condemning the “heinous acts of terrorism and impunity” of Hamas said, “These brutal actions perpetrated by a terrorist group destroy regional and global peace and stability. Any acts of terrorism and violence have no place in our rules-based international order.”

“These terrorist attacks and the loss of innocent lives cannot further escalate. We urge the Philippine government to continue harnessing all the needed resources to ensure the safety and well-being of Filipinos residing in Israel and provide utmost support to the Filipino families left behind by those whose