14-5-2024 (DOHA) Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in an official three-day visit to Qatar, met with Hamas leaders, advocating for an end to Israeli atrocities against Palestinians.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 14), Mr Anwar underscored the importance of Israel halting its actions against Palestinians, calling for the release of all Palestinian prisoners and endorsing a peace plan. His meeting with a Hamas delegation, led by Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Mashal, provided insights into the current situation in Gaza and Rafah.
Expressing Malaysia’s commitment to intervene in attacks on Rafah and provide further aid to Gaza’s war victims, Mr Anwar highlighted Israel’s plans for a comprehensive assault on Rafah, the last significant Hamas stronghold in Gaza. The ongoing Israeli advance into the city has left civilians desperately seeking refuge.
“Throughout the conflict, which has raged for almost eight months, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have suffered casualties, with half of Gaza’s territory permanently scarred by the Zionist regime’s brutality,” Mr Anwar stated.
Acknowledging Hamas’s readiness to release prisoners, particularly women and children, and its acceptance of peace initiatives proposed by Arab nations, the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation), and the global community, Mr Anwar extended condolences to Haniyeh for the loss of his family members in Israeli bombings. Haniyeh’s three sons and four grandchildren were killed in an Israeli airstrike in April.
While the Israeli military confirmed the strike, asserting that the deceased were operatives within the Hamas armed wing, questions remain regarding the casualties among Haniyeh’s grandchildren.
Mr Anwar’s discussions with Qatar’s top leadership emphasized the necessity for all stakeholders to engage in finding a resolution to alleviate the Palestinian people’s suffering. Both nations agreed on the imperative role of all parties in ending the conflict, as reported by Malaysian news outlet Bernama.
With the Palestinian death toll in the ongoing war surpassing 35,000, according to Gaza health officials, the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to achieve peace in the region becomes increasingly evident.
