LONDON: Malaysia, which has for decades championed the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people, will extend assistance for the reconstruction of Gaza, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said Malaysia will pray that the ceasefire announced on Thursday (Jan 16) will last.
"There are challenges, but we pray the ceasefire will hold. We will assist in the reconstruction of Gaza,” he said during a brief speech at the East London Mosque before joining congregants for Friday prayers.
Anwar said it was fortunate that Japan has invited Malaysia to co-chair the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (Ceapad), with a specific focus on rebuilding Gaza.
The three-phase ceasefire deal, facilitated by Egypt, the United States (US) and Qatar, is set to come into effect on Sunday and aims to bring an end to the 15-month conflict in Gaza.
On Thursday, Anwar said that while reconstruction is a pressing priority, the loss of over 46,700 Palestinian lives and the displacement of more than two million people must not be overlooked or forgotten.
Anwar, who is here on a five-day working trip to the United Kingdom, presented copies of the Quran with English translations to the mosque’s management and later attended a luncheon with members of the British Muslim Council. - Bernama
