MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered on Sunday all government agencies to ensure the safety and welfare of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the Filipino community in Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that President Marcos has ordered agencies to closely coordinate with the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Israel to secure the Filipinos affected by the ongoing conflict.

“The President has instructed the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to locate and account for all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families in Israel,” the PCO said.

“The DMW has opened a hotline and several Viber and WhatsApp hotline numbers that will accept calls and queries from our OFWs and the Filipino community who are in need of government assistance,” the agency added.

Over 200 Israelis have been reportedly killed while a number of civilians and soldiers were held hostage by the militant group Hamas when it launched a surprise and unprecedented attack early Sunday morning, according to reports.

In a statement, the Office of the President also condemned the attacks in Israel as it expressed the Philippines’ deepest sympathies and condolences to those who have lost loved ones in the attacks.

“The Philippines conveys its deepest sympathies and condolences to those who have lost family members and loved ones in recent attacks. The Philippines condemns the attacks, especially against civilian populations,” the Office of the President (OP) said in a statement.

It also stood firm that the Philippines “understands the right of states to self-defense in the light of external aggression as recognized in the United Nations Charter.” (PND)