Doha: Malaysia has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, describing it as "a vital first step towards ending the 15-month-long conflict in Gaza." In a statement, the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered the ceasefire agreement a much-needed development in the wake of the massive loss of life, immense suffering of the Palestinians, and the devastation that has occurred in Gaza, noting that the ceasefire will enable the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid needed to the Palestinians in Gaza.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Ministry also praised the role of Qatar, Egypt, and the US in reaching the agreement, and urged all parties to focus on the effective and full implementation of the agreement.
It affirmed Malaysia's steadfast support for Palestine and the need to highlight the importance of international unity to push for a permanent solution to one of the world's longest-running conflicts, stressing its strong support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent, sovereign state based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as an ultimate goal for achieving sustainable peace and stability in the Middle East.
The joint mediation efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar, in cooperation with Egypt and the United States, succeeded in reaching an agreement between the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel to cease fire in the Gaza Strip and exchange prisoners and detainees, as the agreement will come into effect next Sunday.