KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia is ready to cooperate with Indonesia to send peacekeepers to the Gaza Strip if authorised by the United Nations.
Indonesia’s state news agency Antara said Anwar made this statement during a phone call with Indonesian President-elect and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto yesterday, according to a post on X.
During the three-minute phone call, Anwar said he exchanged views with Prabowo on current issues, including Prabowo’s role in representing Indonesia on the international stage and his efforts to promote regional and global visions, collaboration, and peace.
“I welcomed the idea of cooperation in the Malaysia-Indonesia international peacekeeping mission, and the possibility of expanding this collaboration to the Asean regional level,” Anwar said.
Anwar also expressed relief that Prabowo had a good outcome after a “high-risk surgery”, and prayed for his speedy recovery.
In anticipation of the need for UN peacekeepers in Gaza, the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) are readying 1,394 personnel to ensure security, rebuild public facilities, and provide medical services.
TNI commande-general Agus Subiyanto said a TNI unit set to be deployed to the Palestinian enclave will be the engineering battalion, as its personnel can help rebuild destroyed infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and houses of worship.
He highlighted the TNI’s readiness to deliver further humanitarian supplies to Gaza, including sending a hospital ship, on grounds that a ceasefire is in place and the Indonesian military receives a UN mandate.
An armed conflict erupted between Palestine and Israel following an incursion by Hamas into Israel on October 7 last year.
Since the war began, Israeli armed forces have killed 37,834 Palestinian civilians and injured 86,858 others as of June 29, according to Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera reported that many of those killed in Gaza are women and children. The Israeli aggression has also triggered a humanitarian catastrophe.
— Bernama
