ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 19 — The Johor government today urged for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to end the suffering of innocent Palestinians.

Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi emphasised the need for peace, justice, and safety for the Palestinian people.

"For 225 nights, they have endured relentless bombardment. Gaza has become a graveyard for innocent children. Every 10 minutes, a Palestinian child’s life is taken by Zionist Israel. Israel must stop their ruthless actions, which are no different from those of wild animals, in Gaza.

"A ceasefire must be implemented immediately. I urge the members of the assembly to stand and show their unwavering support for our brothers and sisters in the holy land of Palestine who are fighting for their lives,” he stated during his winding-up speech at the Johor State Legislative Assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar today.

Onn Hafiz, who is also the Machap state assemblyman, stressed that while discussing various strategies to advance our state and nation, we must not overlook the ongoing situation in Palestine.

"To our brothers and sisters, and to all the Palestinian people, Johoreans and Malaysians stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine. The world must work towards a ceasefire in Gaza and put an end to the deaths and suffering of countless innocent men, women, and children,” he declared.

The conflict between Palestine and the Zionist regime, now in its seventh month since Oct 7 last year, has escalated with Israel’s latest incursion into Rafah, resulting in over 35,000 Palestinian deaths to date. — Bernama