THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has kept its first Alert Level 1 for Israel, as it welcomed a cease-fire between Israeli and Palestinian fighters in the Gaza strip.
In a statement on Monday evening, the agency said there had been no report of Filipinos harmed during the conflict.
“We call on parties to exercise restraint and to respect the terms of the cease-fire,” the agency said. The agreement was reached between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad after the death of at least 44 civilians and militants.
“The DFA, through its embassies in Tel Aviv and Amman, is monitoring the situation,” it said. “The safety and security of every Filipino overseas remain the priority of the Philippine government.”
It asked Filipinos in the Gaza Strip and surrounding areas to stay home as much as possible and continue monitoring the security situation through the embassies’ official communication channels. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan
