Malaysia will commence rebuilding efforts in Gaza by constructing a school, hospital, and mosque as part of a larger initiative in partnership with the Japanese government, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday.
Anwar said that these projects would be undertaken with the backing of the private sector and the Malaysian public, reports Free Malaysaia today.
Thousands of Palestinians return to a shattered northern Gaza
"This is our contribution, our sacrifice as a society and nation (to help rebuild Gaza)," he told in a video recording.
Anwar also mentioned that Malaysia and Japan are collaborating to set up a fund under the East Asian Cooperation Framework for Palestinian Development (Ceapad) to expedite Gaza’s reconstruction.
“Thanks to the work of the government and foreign minister (Mohamad Hasan), we have secured confirmation to fast-track this programme,” he added.
Japan’s commitment to assisting in Gaza’s recovery was discussed during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to Malaysia earlier this month.
Palestinians navigate rubble to return home as Gaza ceasefire takes effect
On January 18, Anwar was quoted as saying that the reconstruction of Gaza, nearly completely destroyed by Israeli airstrikes since October 2023, is estimated to cost more than US$1 trillion.
Ceapad was launched by Japan in 2013 to support Palestinian state-building efforts by leveraging the resources, expertise, and experiences of East Asian countries.
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