Members of various multi-sectoral groups march and protest in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City where the Israeli Embassy is located on June 8, 2024 to condemn Israel’s ongoing operations in Palestine. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — The Philippine government on Friday called for the "full, safe, rapid, and unhindered" delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilian in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
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"Humanitarian aid must reach the civilian population of Gaza - particularly the most vulnerable, including the sick, women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities without discrimination and in accordance with international humanitarian law," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.
Israel has come under massive international pressure to abandon its intensified military campaign in Gaza and allow urgent humanitarian aid into the besieged strip.
Fewer than 100 aid trucks have entered Gaza, according to Israeli military figures, since Monday, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government agreed to lift the blockade that has forced Gazans into a desperate struggle to survive.
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The DFA insisted that United Nations and other internationally-mandated actors must remain the leader in the provision of humanitarian assistance in Gaza to maintain "neutrality, humanity, and accountability."
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"Safeguarding the operational integrity, independence, and effectiveness of UN entities is essential to preserving the legitimacy and credibility of the UN system and its ability to respond meaningfully to humanitarian needs around the world," the DFA said.
The Philippines also continues to support the "two-state solution" for Israel and Palestine.
—With reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News
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