Israeli envoy says peace between Israel and Palestine is ‘end game’

The only lasting solution to the decades-long conflict in the Middle East is peace between Israel and Palestine, according to Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh.

“We are longing for peace so much. And we want to live in peace with our neighbors. That’s the end game. There’s no other solution,” Kursh said in Manila during the Israeli Embassy’s celebration of Sukkot, a Jewish harvest festival that also commemorates historical resilience and unity.

Kursh made the statement following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of what he called the Gaza Plan—a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal aimed at ending nearly two years of devastating war in Gaza that has reshaped the region.

Under the plan, Israel and Hamas are set to begin a temporary ceasefire and prisoner exchange as a first step toward a broader peace process.

Israel 'cautiously optimistic'

While welcoming the development, Ambassador Kursh said Israel remains “cautiously optimistic,” claiming Hamas has a previous record of violations.

“I hope that this kind of unity will lead us to a peace that provides security and hope for prosperity for all who live in the Middle East region and around the globe,” she said.

Kursh stressed that the path to peace must come from both Israeli and Palestinian leaderships—and that “both our nation and leadership had been hijacked by the Hamas terrorist organization.”

Israel's current bombardment of Gaza came as a response to a series of attacks on areas in southern Israel carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023 that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities. The Hamas militants also took about 250 people hostage including non-Israelis.

Among those killed in the Hamas attack were four Filipinos working in Israel.

The attack prompted a massive Israeli retaliation in Gaza, sparking a humanitarian crisis condemned by the international community. In two years, Israel has bombed Gaza's hospitals, universities, residential neighborhoods and refugee camps, killing more than 67,000 Palestinians including thousands of children. Israel's blocking of aid into the besieged enclave has also hobbled the operations at the few remaining hospitals in Gaza and created a man-made famine that is affecting about a quarter of Gaza's population, which Israel has denied.

Philippines reaffirms support for peace

At the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly last month, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro reiterated Manila’s support for a two-state solution and urged an end to the violence and the suffering of the Palestinians.

“We must end the suffering of millions who live in starvation and fear in Gaza. Ceasefires must hold. Humanitarian access must be restored without restrictions. Children, women, and innocent civilians must be saved from further violence. Healing must begin,” Lazaro said.

She added that “the two-state solution is the only viable diplomatic solution for sustainable peace.”

If fully implemented, the Gaza Plan would mark the closest step toward halting a war that has drawn in Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon—and recently escalated into cross-border strikes between Israel and Iran.

Still, analysts note the plan remains vague and fraught with unresolved issues that could cause it to collapse, as with previous peace efforts.

Hope for lower travel alert

With the latest diplomatic developments, Kursh expressed hope that the Philippine government may soon consider easing its current travel advisory on Israel.

“We have to get our connection, and I do hope and pray that the Secretary of the DFA, Secretary Theresa Lazaro, will decide, will evaluate the situation together with our ambassador,” she said.

The Philippines currently places Israel under Alert Level 2 (Restriction Phase), allowing only essential travel and prohibiting the deployment of newly hired or first-time Filipino workers, except for those with existing contracts.

Kursh added that beyond diplomacy, the shared hope of both Israelis and Palestinians must prevail.

“I see the suffering of the Palestinians. I see the suffering of Palestinian children. But both our peoples are being hijacked by those organizations that are robbing us of our hope for peace. I do hope that this Hamas terrorist organization will be removed and that they will find the leadership that can lead.” — BM, GMA Integrated News