'It's a humanitarian catastrophe': Philippines strongly calls on Israel to heed ceasefire as Gaza crisis deepens

A Palestinian man stands next to an empty wheelchair following an explosion in the Saftawi neighbourhood, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on August 25, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed on August 22 to destroy Gaza City if Hamas did not agree to disarm, release all remaining hostages in the territory, and end the war on Israel's terms. -- Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP

MANILA (Bernama): The Philippine government has joined the international community in urgently calling for an end to the "ever-worsening humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza amid continuing conflict in the area, Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported.

In a statement on Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) strongly urged Israel to accept the ceasefire proposal put forward by the international community, describing it as a "crucial step to protect civilians and revive the path to peace.”