Good Malaysia-Egypt ties facilitate sending humanitarian aid to Palestine

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the cordial relations between Malaysia and Egypt enabled the country's humanitarian aid to be sent to the people of Palestine.

He said the matter was proven when Eqyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi facilitated the despatching of humanitarian aid from Malaysia.

"In the meeting with (the President of Egypt), his sentiment was good and I requested him to give priority to the humanitarian aid from Malaysia.

"Alhamdulillah, he (Abdel Fattah) kept his promise. Our aircraft arrived among the fastest and was allowed to cross the border... that's why bilateral relations need to be improved," he said when speaking at a gathering with staff of the Prime Minister's Department (JPM) here today.

Last Saturday, the 9M-WCA cargo plane carrying the first shipment of Malaysian humanitarian aid for Palestine through Ops Ihsan, landed safely at El-Arish Military Airport in Egypt.

Twenty tonnes of assistance in the form of medical items, baby products and food were handed over to representatives of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society to be brought into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.

Ops Ihsan was mobilised by the Malaysia Humanitarian Aid and Relief (MAHAR), Global Peace Mission (GPM) Malaysia, Red A Humanitarian Development Global, Pertubuhan Ihsan Johor, BeVital and Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (Mapim) as the main coordinator besides 38 other non-governmental organisations.

Anwar said the issue in Palestine is seen as getting more worrying with no signs that Israel will stop its attacks in the country.

In this regard, he said discussions with the leaders of the Arab world should be held immediately to enable the fate of the Palestinian people to be defended.

Anwar said that developments in the western world regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict showed positive signs because the issue in Gaza had never been discussed openly before.

"There are huge gatherings and demonstrations in Europe," he said and stressed the need for the international community to call for an end to the attacks in Palestine.

According to Anwar, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who met him during their visits to Malaysia also supported the stand to stop the attacks in Palestine.

"He (Rutte) is aware that two-thirds (of the Dutch people) sympathise with Palestine and I have also asked to convey Malaysia's views to the European leader," he said.

The latest fighting in Palestine involving Hamas, the authorities in Gaza, and the Israeli regime since Oct. 7, has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives.

-- BERNAMA