The Philippines have abstained from the resolution made by the United Nation's (UN) calling out an "immediate humanitarian truce" in the continuous tension between israel and militant group Hamas.
At least 120 countries have voted in favor while 14 were against, the Philippines were among those 45-member states who opted to abstain from the resolution.
While it recognized the violence brought by the war, the Philippines choose to abstain due to the "notable absence" of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack, wherein Filipinos were included in the casualties, in the resolution.
"In regard of this Philippine interest, we supported Canada’s proposal to achieve more balance in the draft, with a factual reference to, and condemnation of, the 7 October terrorist attacks by Hamas that killed many innocent civilians including Filipinos working and living in Israel," said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement shared on their website on Saturday, October 28.
At least four Filipino were reportedly killed in Israel since the war broke out. Meanwhile, three more Filipinos remain in Gaza City.
On Friday, the Israel government said that more than half the estimated 220 hostages held by Palestinian group Hamas have foreign passports from 25 different countries, including 2 Filipino nationals.
"We continue to support efforts of the UN, particularly the UN Security Council, the UN humanitarian system and the global community, to decisively put a stop to the alarming deaths and suffering in Gaza and Israel, assist those in need of humanitarian help, and restore peace and normalcy to the lives of millions of people affected by this crisis," it ended.
In the same statement, the DFA further explained that the country "has issued a number of statements on the developments in Israel and Gaza, in solidarity with the global community in calling for swift action to address the scale of human suffering that is affecting populations on both sides.”
