International community must ensure truce is permanent, says Anwar Ibrahim
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Thursday that an Israel and Hamas cease-fire in Gaza "must serve as a step toward an independent Palestinian state."
“This ceasefire must serve as a stepping stone towards the long-overdue goal of establishing a viable, sovereign, and independent Palestinian state,” Anwar, who visiting the UK, wrote on X. “While we welcome the announcement of a much-needed ceasefire in Gaza, the loss of tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and the displacement of over two million people cannot and must not be forgotten.”
He said the international community must ensure that the truce is permanent.
Qatar announced a cease-fire agreement Wednesday to end more than 15 months of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, which have claimed the lives more than 46,000 people since Oct. 7, 2023. The onslaught has reduced the territory to rubble and caused a humanitarian disaster.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the three-phase deal would take effect on Sunday.
The deal includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
