Malaysia backs Egypt’s call for Israel to halt airstrikes on Rafah border

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Malaysia on Friday backed calls by Egypt demanding Israel cease attacks on Rafah border crossing.

“This is to ensure that delivery of humanitarian supplies could be undertaken immediately to the affected people in Gaza,” said a statement by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Egypt on Thursday urged Israel to avoid attacking the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip to allow for repairs and restoration after Israeli airstrikes affected operations on the Palestinian side.

“Rafah border crossing is open and has not been closed since the start of the ongoing escalation,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman wrote on X.

“However, its facilities on the Palestinian side have been destroyed due to Israeli airstrikes, which affected its operations,” it added.

Malaysia said it “stands ready to join” international efforts to deliver humanitarian aid and relief supplies with full facilitation from the government of Egypt through the Rafah-Gaza crossing checkpoints.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has linked the evacuation of its expats from Gaza to a humanitarian corridor.

“Not one has been repatriated yet because of the fact that Gaza is under a blockade, but we are working on it,” Manila’s Foreign Affairs official Eduardo De Vega told a news press briefing on Friday.

At least three Filipinos were killed while three others are missing in the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Manila “is pushing for a humanitarian corridor between Gaza and Egypt due to the ongoing blockade on the Israel-Gaza border. Of the 131 Filipinos in Gaza, 92 wish to return home,” daily Phil Star reported.

Many stakeholders have backed the UN call for a humanitarian corridor for the supply of essential items to Gaza, which is under heavy bombardment by Israel.

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began last Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.