KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia today expressed in the strongest terms the country’s endorsement of United National Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2728 and urged for the legally binding resolution to be enforced immediately.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the people of Gaza must be relieved from the immense pain and suffering they have now endured for almost six months.

“For the sake of Ramadan, in the spirit for which this season is intended to engender contemplation, renewal of our faith, and return to family, today’s legally binding resolution must be enforced now,” he said in a statement here.

The UNSC Resolution 2728, which was passed yesterday, called for an immediate ceasefire of all hostilities in Gaza for the month of Ramadan, the immediate release of all hostages and the immediate and urgent need to expand the flow of aid into the territory.

The prime minister said the United States, particularly, must prevail upon its ally to respect the will of the international community and accordingly observe the ceasefire and permit the immediate and massive entry of emergency aid.

Anwar said Malaysia also applauded the bravery and commitment to humanity of the ten elected members of the council namely Algeria, Guyana, Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Korea, and Switzerland.

“Malaysia remains committed to the Palestinian cause and will continue efforts for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as the admission of Palestine as a full Member of the United Nations,” he said.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Palestinian territory since Oct 7, 2023, with more than 32,333 Palestinians have been killed and over 74,694 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war, now in its 171st day, has pushed 85 per cent of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60 per cent of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.