THE government is monitoring the decision of the US House of Representatives to pass a bill regarding restrictions on foreign entities that support Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said the ministry will thoroughly examine the contents of the bill before taking further action.

“The situation in Palestine has worsened and as of today, the death toll reported is over 8,700 people. Moreover, the number of people who have lost their homes or are displaced has reached 14 million in total and this is extremely saddening.

“On one side, continuous bombings are taking place, and on the other, they are not pursuing the best path to resolve the issue. Instead, they are further complicating the situation, making it difficult to achieve a positive outcome to immediately halt the attacks and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance,” he said.

He told this to reporters after attending the Diploma in Diplomacy graduation ceremony at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations yesterday.

He said the first shipment of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians in Gaza is to be sent to Al-Arish International Airport, Egypt via a special chartered cargo flight today.

“We thank the Egyptian authorities for allowing help from Malaysia to arrive in a short time. Normally, it takes approximately five or six days to reach Al-Arish Airport, but Malaysia received a response in just 36 hours.

“This allows us to make preparations for delivery to the airport, from there the Egyptian authorities will follow up with the delivery of goods to Rafah,” he said.

Zambry added that Wisma Putra is also trying its best to get a Malaysian, Nurul Ain Haron, and her husband who have been in Gaza since October 1, out with the cooperation of a third country.

“We have also received feedback about the possibility that the route in Rafah will be opened to allow people from abroad and those who have dual nationality to leave,” he said. – Bernama, November 3, 2023.