Kuala Lumpur, 10 July 2025 – As member countries prepare to convene for the Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD), MERCY Malaysia calls upon CEAPAD, under the leadership of Japan and with Malaysia as co-chair, to strengthen and advance coordinated diplomatic efforts towards securing a meaningful and enduring ceasefire in Gaza.
The ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza demands a principled and united response from the international community. CEAPAD is uniquely positioned to catalyse regional and multilateral cooperation in support of peace, justice, and the restoration of dignity for the Palestinian people.
MERCY Malaysia urges CEAPAD to intensify efforts in engaging relevant actors and to align its diplomacy with the work of established mechanisms such as ASEAN, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the United Nations, to bring about a comprehensive cessation of hostilities and a framework for lasting peace.
In addition to these diplomatic efforts, CEAPAD must ensure that its collective voice is used to guarantee unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all parts of Gaza. MERCY Malaysia stresses the urgent need for the restoration of the international humanitarian system, which has been systematically obstructed over the past twenty-one months since the escalation of hostilities on 7 October 2023. The continued denial of access and the targeting of humanitarian food distribution sites, which have resulted in civilian casualties, must not be accepted or ignored. The responsibility lies with the occupying power, and those with influence over it, including key international allies, must act to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and facilitate the safe delivery of aid to affected populations.
Dato’ Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia, emphasised, “This is a moment that requires clarity of principle and courage in action. CEAPAD must take a strong and unified stand. The people of Gaza do not need half measures. They need an immediate and meaningful ceasefire, the return of humanitarian mechanisms, and above all, a path to dignity, peace and self-determination. This is the very least we owe to the victims of unimaginable suffering.”
MERCY Malaysia further urges CEAPAD to reject, in the strongest terms, any proposal or agreement that involves the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in the name of peace. Such actions would constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law and amount to ethnic cleansing. Peace cannot and must not be built upon the erasure of a people.
Furthermore, as attention begins to turn towards post-conflict recovery, CEAPAD should actively include civil society organisations and humanitarian non-governmental organisations in its planning and coordination. Rebuilding Gaza will require inclusive, people-centred approaches that draw upon the expertise and experience of actors who have long been present on the ground. CEAPAD must provide a platform for such engagement and ensure that the voices of the Palestinian people and their supporters are not marginalised in the recovery process.
As the CEAPAD Ministerial Meeting convenes tomorrow, MERCY Malaysia stands ready to support efforts that are grounded in humanitarian principles, guided by international law, and committed to the fundamental rights of all Palestinians.
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