KUALA LUMPUR – The United Nations has commended Malaysia for its consistent support of the Palestinian cause and its readiness to take part in a possible peacekeeping mission in Gaza, while stressing that the details of such a mission remain under discussion.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the world body was monitoring the ceasefire closely and that its immediate priority was ensuring that the first phase of the peace deal between Hamas and Israel holds.
“What is important now is to make sure the ceasefire holds and that the first phase of the agreement is fully implemented,” he told reporters today ahead of the 15th Asean-UN Summit, held alongside the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur.
“The UN stands ready to play whatever role the key actors involved in the process decide, once the ceasefire arrangement advances to the next phase.”
Guterres also praised Malaysia’s foreign policy as “consistent and fair,” saying it remained free from double standards and continued to strongly champion the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and statehood.
The latest ceasefire, which took effect on October 9, marks the first stage of a multi-phase peace deal between Hamas and Israel — a development seen as a breakthrough after a brutal two-year war that left tens of thousands dead and Gaza in ruins.
Despite cautious optimism, many observers remain sceptical that the truce will translate into lasting peace.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reiterated Malaysia’s willingness to contribute personnel to a possible UN-led mission in Gaza, saying the country stood ready to support peace and reconstruction efforts once a formal mandate is established.
Turning to Sudan, Guterres voiced alarm over the deteriorating conflict in the country’s Darfur region, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reportedly seized control of the city of El-Fasher — a key stronghold of the Sudanese army.
He described the development as a “grave escalation” of the civil war, warning that growing external involvement was fuelling the violence.
“The level of suffering we are witnessing in Sudan is unbearable,” he said.
“It is clear that we are no longer seeing only a Sudanese problem with an army and rapid support forces fighting each other. We have more and more external interference that undermines the possibility of a ceasefire and a political solution.”
The UN chief urged all countries to immediately halt the supply of weapons and financial support to the warring sides, stressing that such actions were eroding prospects for peace. — October 27, 2025
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