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 lives have been lost,“ the institute said.
Hamas has long been officially designated as a terrorist organization by numerous countries around the world.
These include Israel, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Egypt, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, and Jordan.
In addition, the European Union has also designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Saudi Arabia banned the Muslim Brotherhood as a terror organization, unofficially including Hamas.
Suicide bombings initiated by Hamas began in April 1993, peaking between January and April 2002 with 24 attacks in four months.
During the Second Intifada from September 2000 to December 2005, Hamas carried out 147 suicide bombings, killing 525 Israelis, half of the total Israeli civilian casualties from the 25,770 terrorist attacks during this period.
Additionally, 450 suicide bombing attacks were thwarted by Israeli security forces.
Hamas has also constructed cross-border terror tunnels between Gaza and Israel for smuggling weapons and conducting terror attacks.
These tunnels, built using materials intended for civilian development projects, enable terrorists to infiltrate Israel and attack nearby communities.
Since 2001, over 14,000 rockets and 8,000 mortar bombs have been fired at Israeli civilian centers by Hamas, with the most intense period being in 2014.
Furthermore, riots and attempts to breach the Gaza-Israel border have been ongoing since March 2018.
Analysts are seeing serious geopolitical implications.
The rapid intensification of the conflict, marked by airstrikes, rocket fire, and a rising death toll, could potentially destabilize the region further.
The intensity and secrecy of the attacks suggest possible involvement of an external player in coordinating and supplying weapons to Hamas.
Speculations are rife about whether Iran will instruct its proxy, Hezbollah in Lebanon, to join the battle, thereby opening a second front in the war in Israel.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation, as the conflict could have repercussions extending beyond the Middle East.
Further speculations of a potentially destabilize in the geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific region when the shift of global attention and resources veers towards the Middle East, potentially creating a power vacuum that China might exploit.
The conflict also casts a shadow of uncertainty over the Middle East’s geopolitical stability, which is concerning for the global economy, including countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
Any economic instability could alter trade dynamics and power balances, including those involving China.
Moreover, many countries in the Indo-Pacific region, including China, heavily rely on the Middle East for oil.
Therefore, any disruption to oil supplies or increases in oil prices due to the conflict could have significant implications.
Diplomatic relations could also be impacted based on how different countries respond to the conflict. Countries may be pressured to take sides or make statements that could affect their relations with other countries.
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.
Amidst the specter of these unfolding events, we must get ready for the complexity and volatility of what will be even more challenging times.