KUALA LUMPUR: Injured Palestinians currently receiving treatment in Malaysia will only be repatriated once the situation improves, or a permanent ceasefire is agreed upon by all parties, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said that it would be inappropriate to send the Palestinians home before a ceasefire is established.
"At least a permanent ceasefire is being agreed upon by all parties; only then we will plan how to send them home. They want to return to their homeland, and they do not wish to stay here permanently.
"So, for those concerned that they might stay here permanently, there's no need to worry. I don't believe that's their wish - they want to return to their homeland," he told reporters after visiting the media centre at the 2024 Umno General Assembly, today.
On Aug 16, two RMAF Airbus A-400M aircraft, carrying 41 injured Palestinians and 86 family members, landed safely at the Subang Air Base in Selangor at around 2 pm, after taking off from Al Maza Air Force Base in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday (Aug 15) evening.
All the injured Palestinians are being treated at the Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, while the uninjured relatives are housed in a transit location provided by the Ministry of Defence.
On Aug 21, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin reportedly said that there would be no second mission to bring more Palestinians to Malaysia.– BERNAMA