Philippine Embassy closes after Hamas rocket attacks vs. Israel --- By GMA Integrated News

The Philippine Embassy in Israel announced early Sunday (PH time) that it will be closed beginning Sunday, October 8 "until further notice." "The public is advised that the Philippine Embassy will be CLOSED beginning Sunday, 08 October 2023, and until further notice, due to the current security situation," it said in a post on Facebook. "For emergencies, please contact the Embassy’s emergency number, +972-54-4661188," it added. On Saturday the embassy instructed Filipinos in Israel to adhere to safety precautions amid the attacks carried out by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Saturday, and the subsequent issuance of a “state of war alert” by Israel’s Home Front Command. In a statement, the Philippine Embassy advised OFWs living near the Gaza Strip and south Israel to follow the safety guidelines released by the Home Front Command through an instructional video. “Mahalaga sa Embahada ang inyong kaligtasan at kapakanan. Mag-ingat po tayong lahat,” the statement read. (Your safety and well-being is important to the Embassy. Let us all take care.) On Saturday, Hamas launched its biggest attack on Israel in years, Reuters reported. At least 22 people were killed and more than 250 were wounded as gunmen entered Israeli towns and rockets were fired from the Gaza strip. The death toll was expected to rise. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate. The Israeli military then launched air strikes into Gaza, and witnesses said there were heavy explosions, resulting in at least two deaths. Israeli media reported militants held Israelis hostage in Ofakim, and there were gunfights between Palestinians and Israelis in southern Israel. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Gallant authorized the call-up of military reservists. —KG, GMA Integrated News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more